Purple Hearts
by sentinel10
Summary: Ex-Special Forces Officer Jacob Black is going to be executed in 14 days unless Leah can dig deep enough into his old life to found out what really happened. Can she keep the ghosts of her own past at bay to save his life or will he end up saving hers? AH
1. The Past and it's Pain

**I do not own Twilight**

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Please do not take offence to anything that is written in this story. I understand everyone has a different political view and a view of an ideal justice system. I have tried to make things as real as possible, though there will always be room for error. I know Military issues are sometimes a touchy subject as well as the wars currently littering this earth, but please don't assume that I share the same views as my characters. It is fan fiction after all.

So, with that said, on with the show… (cue curtains)

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**~PURPLE HEARTS~**

_San Francisco Bay Area_

_17__th__ of November, 2016_

**Day I One**

"Sam baby, _your_ phone" Leah groaned rolling over and snuggling back into her white crisp pillow and sheets, the cool of the drier months leaving a very fresh scent amongst the linen. Hearing the shrill cry of the phone again Leah swung her arm back to slap against Samuel's chest to make him answer the goddamn phone.

Waking slightly with a groan Sam flung his arm over to the side table, knocking over the lamp and alarm clock like a domino effect, before flipping open his cell and muttering a very groggy 'hello' in the mouth piece.

"Hello?" He repeated again before the shrieking sound rang out again.

"Lee-Lee, it's yours" He growled tossing his phone to the carpet and rolling over closing his eyes and snuggling into her side.

Leah cursed under her breath and reached to her night stand flicking on the lamp and snapping her phone open, her eyes still closed and burning from the alcohol of the night before and the light being cast around the bedroom.

"What?" She drawled out into the tiny annoying piece of technology that was disturbing both her and Sam's early Saturday morning. She had wanted to sleep in today especially after partying so hard that night. Fridays where their nights to enjoy themselves while Morgan was at her mother's small apartment across town.

"Miss Leah Clearwater?" The sound of a deep voice asked through the phone. Leah was curious at the call, it wasn't everyday one was awoken to the sound of an unknown man's voice ringing on your private cell.

"Yeah. What time is it?" She mumbled, pushing Sam's warm arm from her waist and sitting up on the side of the bed pulling a hand through her wild hair which had slipped from the curled style she had been wearing the night before, to a ruffled mess. Sam always loved her hair in curls so when they'd gone dancing last night, she was more than happy to dress up.

"0300 hours."

_Ahhh… a solider_ Leah thought, tugging the silk night dress down over her legs.

"I'm sorry ma'am but I was instructed to call you and I do apologise for the short notice but General Mark Stone has requested your assistance in a high priority and highly classified case." His voice annoyed Leah to no end, but hearing Mark's name she was intrigued. She glanced down at Sam pushing his wispy hair away from his forehead before leaving the bedroom and striding into the living areas.

"One sec" She yawned.

Moving past the furniture and into the kitchen she flicked on the bright light, illuminating the steel sinks and marble bench tops.

"Identify your self solider" She muttered into the phone, lazily reaching for the coffee pot. Holding the cell between her ear and shoulder, she quickly disposed of the two day old paper drainer and placed a fresh white piece in.

"Private First Class Carter Lawrence Jnr, United States Army, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment ma'am."

Leah groaned as she reached for the tin of coffee beans and popped the lid, relishing its aromatic smell before reaching in to grasp the small plastic cup. "Private first class? Mark sent a _rookie_ to convince me to take a job?"

"No offence ma'am but I have been in the-"

"Yeah yeah. I know. Ten weeks basic training, followed by 20 weeks of Advanced Individualised Training, then you bust your ass in Collective Training, serve for a few years, you get a break, think you might try your hand in the Special Forces and get side shafted to driving the stick on one of the Black Hawks." She paused to angle the plastic cup of beans over the coffee pot and dropped them into the white paper acting as a sieve. "You get cut or did your commanding officer ride your ass into the ground to make you give up?"

She could hear him shuffle around on the other side of the phone, trying to think of some type of response to give her. "Um – ma'am, I don't really think this has _anything_ to do with-"

"Look, Chris was it?"

"No ma'am, Carter."

"Well for a start _Carter,_ enough with the ma'am shit, that's what they call my mother and I don't think I am quite as old as her yet. Secondly, answering my question has everything to do with what General Stone has asked _you_ to ask _me_. The son of a bitch knows that I will either fall for your naïve school boy act and come running to save you and him from whatever mess he has created or he has something else stuffed up his sleeves, like some kind of magic trick." She let out a small huff before she continued.

"Tell _Mark_, and listen closely because I am not going to repeat myself, tell the General to kiss my extremely firm, round, spank able, perfect ass. I am _not_ in the forces anymore." She growled slamming the glass pot into the coffee maker and switching it on.

"Ma'am – I mean Miss Clearwater, if you let me just explain- " He whined on the other end of the phone, making Leah assume he was in fact, as she'd suspected, a young man. When she grabbed the phone back in her hand he made the most of her silent reply.

"The General has asked that you look into this case not as an ex-force unit manager but as a friend" Leah rolled her eyes at his statement, pushing the double French doors open and walking out on to the small deck. The wind was chilly early in the morning, exactly how it was now, as a small draft crept thorough the extremely plush house.

"Well go on Carter I would _hate_ to interrupt you now" She said sarcastically, leaning against the dried wooden railings and taking in the calm sway of the ocean as it crashed on to the shore nearby, it's silky blackness swaying gently with the seasonal breeze.

"Miss Clearwater, we have an ex-solider about to be put to death in San Quentin State Prison in 14 days' time."

Suddenly Leah was all ears, as she had been following the story for a while now watching on as the media hyped up the event calling it the 'Killing of America' with the prisoner being a recipient of the Purple Heart, an order given in the President's name and given _only_ to those wounded or killed in the service of the United States army and fighting against its enemies. Cringing, she thought about the same medal that hung proudly on her mantle, displayed for the whole world to see.

"Yes, I have seen the story on the news." She murmured feeling a slight knot pull in her stomach. "But I don't understand. The prisoner is _'ex-army'_ not a serving solider. Why would the government be interested in soldiers who are no longer under their command?"

"Your right but- The General asks that information is gained from the solider to the where abouts of something extremely important to the American Government. Unfortunately I wasn't given the specifics, classified and all that, _but_- I do know The General does wish to speak to you once you accept."

"Carter, you're going to have to give me a little more than that." Leah yawned stretching one of her arms high in the air, trying to rid her body of the small ache from sleeping awkwardly.

"The prisoner served with-" She could hear the shuffle of paper and Cater clicked his tongue. "Special Forces Officer, Seth Clearwater, specialist hostage rescue, counter terrorism and unconventional warfare. Born 3rd of May, 1990 to Susan L and one Harold J Clearwater- " Leah closed her eyes tightly listening to Carters voice over the phone. This had been Mark's fucking magic trick; this was his dove in a blacktop hat routine.

"Served for a total of 4 years in the 3rd Delta Unit whilst also being post twice in Iraq as part of Operation Freedom, was killed shortly after during his second stint there after being part of a special operations team moving American weapons across the desert, only to be caught in hostile fire." Leah felt the warm tears trail down her face as she touched her cheek with a trembling hand.

"Special Forces Officer, Seth Clearwater, deceased 12th of July 2014, at age 24, leaving behind a girlfriend, Debra Jennings 23, and a daughter, Morgan Clearwater, 4 years old. 16th of August 2014 the family received the highest honour in the form of one Purple Heart for the bravery and courage show whilst in the line of battle for saving 4 men from the infantry, personally received at the White House."

The line was quiet as Leah stared out into the cool water of the Pacific Ocean remembering the day her brother's body was lowered into the ground, as her mother sobbed uncontrollably with the country's flag folded tightly in her hands. Leah flinched remembering the firing of the rifles into the air. She didn't need some fucking rookie reading out her brother's file to her. She knew who Seth was, what he'd done. She was reminded of it every day she got ready and placed a kiss to her finger tips and pressed it against Seth's Purple Heart on the mantle. She felt it every day she looked into the bright eyes Morgan had. Brown and clear, just like her baby brothers.

"One of the men, Miss Clearwater, one that he saved, is the solider currently sitting on death row in San Quieten State Prison under Maximum Security."

"What were the charges?" She whispered into the mouth piece, holding a hand of her wildly beating heart.

"Multiple counts of murder in the first degree, conspiring against the American Government, assaulting and/or wilfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer and the theft of a Black Hawk helicopter. "

"Why isn't this the Army's problem? This guy should have been Court Martialled _not_ going through the civilian law courts!" She hummed into the phone rubbing her temple, displeased with the shit Mark Stone had thrust upon her.

"It _was_ in the Military's hands until the charges were leaked to the papers. It seems with the impending state elections coming up; certain members of congress wish to make the issue a _known_ one. They plan to make an example of this case and they are adamant to follow through, all the way to lethal injection. It's has been watched for a while."

"Fucking hell." Leah sighed rubbing her hungry stomach which was growing under the thin silk she wore. "Tell me about him, the _prisoner_. I have caught things here and there but it all seemed a little un-linked and blurry."

"Right Miss. I'll fax over his file now, it's pretty detailed so you might need a few hours to go through it." Leah walked back into the house and grabbed the now full glass coffee pot filled with dark magical liquid that would have to sustain her for now, while Carter placed the phone down and sent her the file. Opening the white cabinet door she snatched down a red coffee mug and poured herself a cup of molten caffeine.

"You there ma'am?" Carter said hurriedly through the phone.

"Yeah I'm here. And what did I say about the ma'am shit?"

"Oh right. Sorry" Leah rolled her eyes hearing the smirk in Carter's voice "It should be with you shortly but I'll give you the run down now."

"Special Forces Officer Jacob Black born 2nd of February 1988, to one Sarah M and William E Black. Specialist in Weapons handling, Counter-terrorism, Special reconnaissance, Unconventional warfare and Counter proliferation but has a special note for his Guerrilla warfare tactics, Negotiation skills and his ability to navigate any and _all_ military transport types, notably a UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter and a F-16 Fighting Falcon jet due to the first years he served in the Airborne Battalion."

"He became the Commanding Officer of the 3rd Delta Unit in March 2012, military service record of 7 years in total, 5 of which were served with the green berets until his dismissal in 2014 after returning from Iraq with sustained injuries to the right partial shoulder blade, shrapnel induced from the same hostile person's involved in your brother's death, rendering him inadequate to remain in service. He was relieved from duty just before dropping off the military radar."

"He popped up again last year when the Military Police arrested him in a bar fight involving several Senior commanding officers. One of the MP's recognised him as he also served in Iraq before coming home and transferring to an MP position. After his file was pulled a hit rang out on the computers indicating his immediate arrest and detention due to the charges I mentioned earlier."

Leah sat on the wooden chair, her legs pulled up off the cold tiles and her hands cupping the hot mug. "Where was he during his time 'off the radar'?" She asked raising the mug to her lips to take a short sip.

"Nobody knows" Carter replied in a serious voice.

"What do you mean nobody knows? Has anyone asked him?"

"Multiple people have asked – the problem is - he doesn't answer"

"So – what your telling me _is_ – this solider has been in San Quieten for over a year and he hasn't said anything about the charges laid against him? Not to anyone?" Leah asked highly suspicious at the information Carter was telling her.

"Yes, but it goes beyond that. He hasn't spoken at all. Not to _anyone_, not about _anything_." The rookie sighed on the other end.

"So what does Mark Stone want _me_ to do about it? If he doesn't want to talk he won't, I can't _make_ someone talk. Some people are content in taking their secrets to the grave Carter and by the judging of this guy he is no exception."

"He is trained by the American Government _not_ to talk; he's been through rigorous training in physical, emotional and psychological warfare. I put a hundred dollars down that he could probably pass a fucking lie detector test with his eyes closed. How can Mark expect me to crack someone like that?" Leah snapped, her emotions getting the better of her. She knew the Generals game. Send in pretty little Leah Clearwater to crack the lonely solider, bat the eyelashes show a little cleavage and hope to god he gives in.

Mark had always given Leah shit from the moment she stepped into Fort Bragg, North Carolina's major Military facility. She had graduated from Harvard with a degree in Psychosocial Studies with a major in American and Overseas Warfare and minored in Specialised Tactical Training, a degree only available to officers serving in the United States Army in partnership with the esteemed and very prestigious school.

She'd come to work as part of the 4th Psychological Operations Group once she successfully gained her pretty watermarked piece of paper stating she'd passed with honours, out of the once in a life time program.

Had it not been for Leah's father, she may have never considered a life as a solider. Harry had been an inaugural part of both her and her brother's life until his death. His political aspirations soon became overwhelming and he'd suffered a heart attack in his office, while reading propositions the state congress were considering after being in negotiations with multiple businesses.

Harry had always be a supporter of the United States Army and had groomed both his children, hoping to one day make them, pretty little soldiers.

Leah being the daddy's girl she was became determined to prove to Harry that she was just as good as _any_ boy. She studied hard, made excellent grades, and trained 5 days a week to keep fit. When she graduated from High School she enlisted in the Army to become an Airborne Fighter after being denied entry into the front line Battalions. Women were not allowed to participate in any kind of functions that may include hand to hand combat, no matter the ranking of fitness nor grades, so she did the next best thing.

Flying was unlike anything Leah could have ever imagined. The hum of the engine from the seat in a fighter plane gave you guts. It made you feel invincible as you sped through and cut the across the white puff of the high lying clouds only to drop 3,000 clicks to glide only meters above the low lying flat lands of a green pastured area or across the endless desert of the Middle East.

Starting at Fort Campbell she became one of only two women to serve in the position she held. After working her way from the bottom with long hours of g-force, blood, sweat and even tears Leah eventually was upgraded and landed herself a spot in the 101st Aviation brigade, also known as 'Wings of Destiny', because of her excellent reflex skills and her ability to think quickly under immense pressure, making her tactical skills apparent to the commanding officers around the facility.

She'd been assigned with 4 other soldiers in her crack team and she treated them all like brother's often rough housing and using physical advantages like being much lighter and quicker on her feet to her advantage. She was part of the 'Headquarters Company' ideally nicknamed, much to her delight, 'Hell Cats'.

It had been Major General Stanton James that had recommended her for the elite program that Harvard was running in conjunction with the US army and after 2 years of rigorously juggling between duty and study, she completed her degree and was moved to Fort Bragg and stationed with General Mark Stone. He was the youngest ever general at 32 and the fucking most down right gorgeous man she'd ever seen in her life. His grey-blue eyes were so captivating she'd actually found herself lusting after the son of a bitch, especially when those eyes were coupled with his dirty blonde cropped hair and his amazingly lean and muscled physique. Leah knew it was wrong sleeping with the General but after a long and extremely boozy night of flirting and his under the table groping she couldn't even begin to say no.

It had only lasted a few weeks, consisting of quick fucks and even quicker orgasms. The man was insatiable and could make her back arch to incredible angles, like no man could or ever had. His touch was soft despite her calloused hands and every time his hips thrust against hers she'd held back the incredulous want to squeal. It had ended as quick as it started with Mark having been stationed back in D.C, which professionally speaking was the best move she ever seen him make. She knew there was no future with him, so she took it on the chin and wished him well.

Working in the Psychological Operations Group she'd been subjected to the true meaning a small word can make. A wrong translation, an incorrect statement, a politically charged rant were all small things that could begin a war, sending a whole people and country into turmoil. Her specific job for the first year was to assess the state of soldiers in both the post and pre implications of war, deeming them fit or unfit to continue service within the United States Army. It had been quite a change going from a lethal combat unit to a desk job, and while just as important, it seemed less than what she had signed up for.

But it was the second year where she started to become more at home by being assigned to a secret crack team who often visited high maximum terrorist holding facility's, most notably Guantanamo Bay in Cuba and America's Detention Camp, code named: Eagle Bay, deep in the heart land of the Syrian Desert, its co-ordinates kept even secret from her, as they were dropped by a cargo carrying aircraft on its way to Italy.

Her job was to retrieve information from detainees, by any means necessary which she rarely needed to use. Words where enough to find out about a person, small words, _key_ words, that would tell her hidden things that she needed in order to crack their hard exterior and find out why and how their motives and beliefs had brought them to this point. Literally to the point of no return.

Even body language had become an inaugural part of her job, the slight raise of an eyebrow, and the direction of a person's gaze, how they looked into her eyes with either ease or irritability, the slight twitch of their fingertips, the crease of a frown, the tone of their voice.

It _all_ became relevant.

But nothing she'd ever learned could have prepared her for the news of Seth's death.

She'd been trained to accept death as just another step in life, for it to not let it affect one's health nor mental stability. She been trained to become immune to the prospect of death and all of the things that came with losing someone you worked with, trained with or fought beside.

But that flew out the window as well as her whole belief system, everything she held dear became secondary to the pain of losing her only brother. She hadn't seen him in almost a year, yet something inside her felt like it had been ripped away. She once believed in a system that could fix the world, fix countries, help them escape the oppression of their own governments, help the people. But that all crumbled the moment Mark Stone stood on her doorstep, at 1am in the morning, to personally deliver the news of the attack on Seth's regiment and offer his condolences.

That night Leah collapsed into Mark's warm arms and cried against him until she was all out of tears and extremely dehydrated. He stayed until the morning, holding her in his arms tightly on the bed while she cried for the brother she would never see, talk or laugh with again.

Once Mark left to go back to D.C, she packed her meagre belongings up, handed in her _instant_ termination and never looked back. She didn't want anything to do with the Army any longer. Her time had been served and she was _done_.

"He expects you to do what you do best" Carter said snapping Leah out of her thoughts. "_Talk_ to the solider Miss Clearwater. I know I don't have any type of experience in that field but I do know that usually those you don't speak have the most to say"

She smiled at Carter's words; they both surprised and stunned her. "I like you Carter. There may just be hope for you yet" She chuckled placing her mug down on the redwood table and moving to walk down the hall way.

"Thank you Miss." He mumbled into the speaker obviously embarrassed by her words.

Leah flicked the light of the study on and walked to the fax machine, retrieving the vast amount of papers it had spit out. "Geez, how many pages are in his file?"

"All up, 57 pages. It seems like a lot but I have added his entire personnel file and each and every plausible assignment he had been given over the time of his active duty. It is literally everything I could find."

"Yeah I can see that" Leah mumbled not particularly paying attention to the voice on the line but looking down at the photo of the solider in question.

There were multiple photos both when he'd joined and when he'd been dressed in his full military uniform but it was the one with his unit that caught her eyes.

The whole unit was dressed in the light grey khaki long sleeved and long pant uniform with dusty yellow boots on. They stood around a military cargo moving truck, holding their weapons out in front of them, clutching it tightly against their chests. There were seven men in total. But there was only two she saw.

Jacob Black stood in the middle, and guessing the height difference he seemed as if he was at least 6'4. His hair was cropped short and black as night, which looked amazing with his angular jaw and dimpled chin. He had magical brown eyes peering out under his thick brow and his lips tugged into an incredible smile. His pearly white teeth were straight and perfect showing no signs of ever having damaged them while in the Forces unlike most others. His body was muscled and looked taught even though being conceded under his camouflaged clothes. His russet skin looked smooth and creamy from the small glimpses the shirt didn't cover.

He looked so happy and at home with his unit, making it look more like a band of brothers rather than a crack team of highly trained soldiers.

Leah's eyes flicked to the slightly shorter, less muscular man standing beside him with the goofy grin on his face, his bucket hat just letting his hazel eyes shine out from underneath the material. She laughed looking at the photo noticing another guys hand had come up behind his head and held up his fingers imitating bunny ears, all the while un-noticed by him.

She ran her fingers over Seth's face wishing there had been more time, not only for her but for Morgan as well. Her daddy was never going to threaten boys who came to the front door to take her out on dates, he would never clean his gun in front of her boyfriends while he watched them squirm, he would never walk her down the aisle to give her away to the man she loved most.

"Fine. Tell Mark I'll do it – oh and tell him he is a fucking asshole" She sighed.

Carter chuckled a moment before clearing his throat. "I'll let him know. Our plane arrives at 8am and a car will be stationed at the airport."

"_Our_?"

"Oh yes Miss. General Mark Stone will be accompanying you on the trip. I am just an officer who will make sure you're both looked after and catered for." The sound of his smile beamed through the phone.

"Well then Private First Class Carter Lawrence Jnr, I'll see you in the morning. Oh and another thing, don't ever call me this early again" She smiled hanging up the phone before he had time to answer.

Collecting all the papers off the fax and walking over to her knap sack, she clipped them together and stuffed them inside the black bag and left it on the desk. She'd decided she'd read his file on the drive to San Quieten because she'd end up killing someone if she didn't get enough sleep, plus she had to be on her toes. She'd be subjected to Mark Stone for at least an hour in a tiny car and then Jacob Black for the rest of the day and possibly night in a four by four cell.

Turning off the lights in the house, she entered the bedroom and lightly closed the door as trying not to wake Sam. Crawling back into the white sheets she sighed, letting her head rest against the pillow and allowing her eyes to close, a small yawn leaving her lips.

Sam's arm tugged around her waist and brought her in close to his chest, his nose automatically burying itself in her hair. "Everything okay Lee-Lee? Who was on the phone?" He whispered in a groggy voice, his breath running along her neck.

"No one, everything's fine. Go back to sleep Sam. I'll speak to you in the morning" She said softly, rolling over and hugging him tightly placing a little kiss on his chest and moulding into him, finding the perfect space in his warmth.

"Okay baby. Love you" He yawned, pulling the small of her back closer and keeping her in his bear embrace.

"Yeah Sam. You too"

Letting the silence of the room take her, she dreamed of Seth and her running amongst the green forest of her father's home. She dreamed of the first night she'd spent with both Mark Stone and Sam. But what would haunt her most when she woke was when she dreamed of Jacob Black's haunting dark eyes as they watched her through each and every sequence of dream.


	2. Relationships and Doubt

**I do not own Twilight**

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_San Francisco Bay Area_

_17th of November, 2016_

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0645 hours

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Leah smiled as she stretched out her whole body across the bed, noticing Sam had already woken and by the smell of things was hard at work cooking breakfast. Glancing over at her watch on the nightstand she sighed, throwing her long legs over the side of the bed. It was now time to get up even though she felt like it was one of those days that could be wasted in bed.

Shower. Breakfast. Sam. Great Plan only if she could fit it all in before the Rookie and General 'ass' arrived on time, which they would. Time was always a factor, years, months, weeks, days. They were all irrelevant if time was on your side.

The water was nice and hot as she ran her hands through the mess her hair had become. Curling it was meticulous work though always worth it. Sam couldn't get enough of the wavy black locks, often running his warm hands up her back and twisting his fingers in her hair when they kissed. She was sure he was _more _in love with her hair than the rest of her the way he treated it and even loved to wash it for her when they would end up in a bubble bath tub together. Sam was attentive with her needs, funny, a little to obsessive but overall a pretty great guy. Sam was safe. He didn't hold a job where he could be shot down or killed at any moment, he didn't hold a job where he'd have to leave behind his loved one's and fight for a country that was more concerned about the financial and psychological gain rather than the well being of the people. It had once been the people's government, the people's army, but after all the things she'd seen, what she'd done, what she'd turned a blind eye to, she couldn't believe in it anymore. The America she'd loved, the one she'd would have died for was not the same America anymore. It only belong to one people. The Rich.

After taking the time to wash down her whole body with the almond paste body wash, she brushed her teeth and dried herself off to sit on the marble stone edge of the tub with the white towel wrapped tightly around her. She felt a shiver move up her spine remembering the dreams she'd had the night before. The memory banks of a person held so much knowing, the unconscious showing you truths the active mind could not comprehend when awake. Dreams showed you what the brain cannot possibly understand, the REM cycle the only true clear moment when thoughts of every day life disappears and the window to the soul is opened.

Leah couldn't comprehend why she'd dreamed of Jacob Black. He was a man about to die, someone she'd never met, someone she was even unsure if she could help. She wondered why the tiniest thought of him when she'd woken, triggered something inside her. Was she compelled by his case or was the only reason she'd considered because of Seth. Could she finally get closure on what had happened the night Seth wasn't her baby brother anymore, the night he was taken and night only memories could provide his sole existence.

She looked around the lavish bathroom taking in the double sink, the wide mirrors and the light grey slate floor, while dangling her feet to the floor, the tips of her toes only just reaching the twisted wool bathmat. Leah couldn't complain, the place was like living in Beverly Hills with a country feel. She'd never been one for possessions like Sam was, though he was totally justified in doing so, the boy was well off.

Sam liked his houses, his cars, his clothes and especially his boats. Leah had never met someone who lived so extravagantly but she supposed that he was just making both their lives as comfortable as possible. He'd told her anything her heart wanted would be her's, but she rarely wanted more than the basic's. She wasn't one for eating extravagantly after going once without food for four days. She wasn't one for fancy cars after she'd blow Mercedes hybrids from the road in her F-16 on the strip in Iraq. She wasn't one for flashy clothes after seeing the ramped decay of people's living standards in third world countries, most noteably when she'd toured the North African nations.

Sam on the other hand had grown up wealthy, his family spoiling him with gifts and anything he could possibly want. He was the only boy, in a family of 4 children, and his parents treated him like he was some kind of prince. Sam's father was a wealthy business man type and his mother was an evil wench who loved to torment Leah while she sipped on the permanent champagne glass attached to her manicured hand. She hadn't met Sam's sister's but imagined mirror images of his mother with long straight black hair and round almonds eyes.

While Sam's father was barely around, let alone in the same country, his mother was everywhere. Leah would swear Virginia Uley had the CIA working for her. There was no way in _hell_ his mother knew so much about their lives to not have any of the secret service on her payroll. She was a nosey, whiney, bitch of a woman that Leah refused to be in confined spaces with. The woman was unbearable. She had once asked Sam how he left about his girlfriend teaching strange men how to fly and how he felt about Sam's cousin Wylee, who was a supposed sexual ball of frustration, stay the night at the house when Sam was out of town on a conference for his father. She was constantly involved in suggesting small snide comments about Leah's every move and would often pick at her semi-boyish dressing, telling her that she look so pretty of only she took the effort to dress up for her Sammy.

"Lee-Lee?" Sam sing-songed, quietly knocking on the door while twisting the door knob open and stepping into the bathroom. Looking up from the mat she smiled at his beautiful chiseled body in his running shorts and a towel slung over his neck. He'd no doubt been on his morning run before he'd cooked breakfast, the same run he'd taken every morning. Even during extreme thunder storms Sam insisted on getting his daily exercise.

"Ohh-" He whined with a tiny frown on his face. "You started without me?" He said sadly moving towards her, leaning down with his hand flat against the marble near her thighs and capturing her full lips in a quick yet extremely sexy kiss.

"Your too late. I _just _got clean" She teased, running a hand down his tanned chest, to rest a curled finger just inside his shorts, toying with his draw string She couldn't deny that Sam was a fairly nice specimen of a man. His Native American blood giving him rich coffee skin similar to her own golden tone, which looked like a constant south beach tan. His eyes were amazing in direct sunlight, there clarity often hidden by his constant sexual advances towards her, making them seem black most of the time, matching his black hair. His big hands felt safe and his wide shoulders gave her a sense of security when she was wrapped tightly in them.

"You sure you don't want to _reconsider_?" Sam whispered kissing her lips again and cupping her face to angle it up at an easier tilt to slide his tongue inside her mouth. She could smell the slight sweat of Sam's skin as he hovered over her, his orange and pine scent filling her nostrils and making her body lean up towards his.

Leah hummed pulling quickly back before diving in for another kiss, draping her arms around his neck and allowing him to lift her up while she used her legs to wrap around his waist. Their tongues swirled and twisted, brushed and flicked over each other's in a playful manner, Sam nipping her lip every so often.

"You drive me crazy Lee-Lee" Sam whispered huskily dragging his kisses down her chin, across her jaw line to focus on her slender neck. Leah moaned as his hand cupped her ass and massaged the flesh there while his other made its way to her neck brushing his thumb horizontally across the tip of her spine.

"I know I do. Now put me down, I have to get ready" She whispered watching his eyes snap up to hers, a devilish glint dancing across his orbs.

Leah frowned at the pleasure that moved across his face, as he walked with her in his arms. "_Don't_ do it Sam" She glared, her eyes narrowing with her brow, as he settled with her under the shut off facet, small droplets falling from the silver shower head.

"Sam _don't_" She warned shaking her head at him, using her arms and legs to squeeze against him in a hope that he wouldn't do what the bastard was about to do.

"SAMUEL!" She shriek as the cold water hit her back, drenching the small white towel she had on, his laughter making her shake in his arms. She slapped the back of his head as he stepped under the facet as well drowning them both in the cold liquid.

"Awww look at you Lee-Lee. Your all dirty now" He mused pulling her chin towards his face and peppering kisses over her lips then nuzzling in her neck.

With a hard glare Leah sealed her lips trying to stop the smile her face was trying to bust out. "Smile baby, I know you want to" He whispered into her shoulder, before they tugged up into a wide smile.

"I hate you" She groaned running her hands from his back, bringing her hands up and letting her fingers run through his hair. Maybe she was obsessed just as much with Sam's hair as her won, but she would never admit it.

"I love you too" Sam replied by whispering in her ear and kissing the space of skin just below it.

Leah could have spent all day wrapped up in his slow kisses, his hands, his hard body, but she knew she had to tell Sam about what she'd be working on for next 2 weeks. Jacob Black was going to be one of the hardest ever people to crack. With a Military record as thick as his she knew that she'd have her work cut out for her.

Work would be easy to get off, the flying school only needed her a couple of days a week anyway, and with Zachary recently passing his flying conductors test he'd probably be busting the seam in his pants with excitement to be able to take her clients.

Sue would be more than happy to take Morgan in the afternoons when she finished school and Leah would be able to swing by and pick her up after she'd finished with over at San Quieten. Unfortunately Debra, Morgan's mother, was not an option.

When Seth had died she became withdrawn and suffered from deep depression when losing him, Leah often finding her asleep on the living room floor with a bottle of whiskey tipped over beside her while Morgan sat in the kitchen bashing away at the pots in the cupboard, with a day old nappy and a dirty stained singlet.

When Morgan was rushed to hospital because she was too out of it to realise that she had swallowed one of the toxic soap bars under the sink, Debra begged Leah to take her daughter away from her.

Leah loved Morgan like she was her own daughter, Sam treating her exactly the same way, so it didn't take more than a second to accept. She was the perfect little girl with sandy brown hair and light hazel eyes, a small nose and pink full lips. Morgan was the splitting image of her brother in every way even sharing their habits. Both Seth and Morgan couldn't stand strawberries, snored when they slept and shared the extreme love for Band Hero on the X-Box. Even as a baby Seth would try and teach her how to use the guitar often letting her smash her little chubby fingers against the colourful buttons as he laughed loudly his baritone voice sweeping happiness through the house he'd once shared with Debra.

Sam was a good dad but his toddler like attention span often not being enough to mind Morgan for more than an hour. A 6 year old girl was hard work and although Sam tired he was often over whelmed unlike Seth who was the perfect balance of discipline and fatherly love.

"_Sam_ we need to talk-"

* * *

Sam huffed as he dried his shaggy hair and sat down on the edge of the bed watching Leah pull the remainder of her clothes on. He'd really wanted the shower romance to continue but once she started telling him about the opportunity she'd been given his emotions where shot. "I really don't get why their asking _you _to go and see this piece of shit inmate"

"Sam-" Leah breathed pulling the black slacks over her black lace underwear Sam had gotten her. "You know that they'd only call me if they _really _needed my help. I'd love to tell you all the details but you know how this works. I don't know why you're making a big deal of this Sam. Every single opportunity your father has given you to get ahead in his business you have taken and I have never said anything because that is what _you_ wanted. I supported you Sam; I really would like you to respect this"

Sam had been with Leah ever since she left the army, meeting him at a small wine tasting event her mother had dragged her to along with her old meddling friends. While he was all the things she loved in a man, his overbearing obsessiveness to be the man of the house was really getting under her skin. While Sam could do whatever he wanted, it felt like Leah had to check everything with him first.

When they'd become an item, she wanted to be truthful with Sam, telling him almost everything that she'd been through, sharing all her thoughts with him. Leah had been careful to hold back any information she declared to high risk or extremely dangerous for a civilian to know but the rest she let flow. After being subjected to a life of secrecy she wanted no secrets between them, but still she knew he suspected that she was holding herself back from him.

"But Leah, you're _not_ that person anymore. You've got a life outside of all that shit. Do I not provide a good enough life here? Do want something I can't give you? Diamonds, cars, their yours, anything just name it, _please_ don't do this. I can't believe you're going to go crawling back into _his _trap – why can't you see what is really happening." Sam said raising his voice and throwing his shoulders back on to the bed and rubbing his hands over his face in frustration.

Leah tugged her boot hard over her heel and scoffed at his remark. "Really Sam? Really? This isn't about the job is it? You don't want me near Mark?" After securing the boot she stood, placing her hands on her hips, only in her black pants, boots and bra.

"Of course I don't want you near him. The guy looks at you like your fucking candy and he is going to roll you around in his mouth." Sam groaned. Sam knew all about Mark Stone, having met him only once back when Leah and he had first began dating. Mark had briskly blown him off, opting to ogle his girlfriend instead. Leah had been open about sleeping with Mark and him being there for her when her brother died, which left a foul taste in his stomach. Thinking of Mark Stone holding his woman was maddening.

"Come on Sam. You know I'd never-"

"Yeah I know but _still_-" He huffed out reaching for the wet towel on the bed; the same she had used to dry off and placed it over his eyes.

"Do you _trust_ me Sam?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, watching as he pressed his palms into his eyes over the towel, almost trying to block her out. She waited for his reply, her face and neck feeling a little heated from the anger she began to feel.

"Do I have a reason not to?" He asked softly after a few moments, making her blood temperature rise even further.

"_Don't_ play with words Samuel." She hissed "_Don't_ play me like that. I don't deserve to have you question me. I always, _always_ been true to you"

"Your right-"He started softly before being cut off by her pissed off tone.

"Damn fucking straight I am right. If you want to _be_ with me Sam, if you want this to work between us, you have to have more faith in me than that. I am _not_ going to throw this away for a fucking fling with Mark. I _hoped_ you'd know that by now" Pushing the cupboard door in Leah snatched a long sleeved dark blue top off the hanger and slipped it on.

"Now- if you don't mind, I have to call my mother to look after Morgan another night."

"Lee-Lee wait-" Sam shouted watching her stomp to the door and froze.

"I'll call you later when I know what time I'll be back. Bye Sam."" Leah mumbled as she opened the bedroom door and closed it softly behind her.

She didn't know what the hell was going through her head. This was the first time Sam and her had disagreed on something and just left it hang in the air. She wasn't one to leave things floating and what she really wanted to do was to go back and sort it out with Sam, ask him why he didn't trust her enough to be in the same room as an ex-fling. Was he hiding his own inadequacies? Was he in fact the person who couldn't be trusted and a slow leek of guilt was slipping out?

She shook her head shooing the thoughts from her mind. She promised herself she wouldn't never analyse Sam nor their relationship. Ever since she'd finished with the Army she knew that if she was to continue her life by using the skills she'd attained then she would _never_ be able to have any kind of relationship. She wanted to trust that whatever Sam told her was the truth, and that she wouldn't have to look for signs of his lies.

Grabbing her knap sack from the study, she slug it over her shoulder and walked to the front door grabbing a orange from the table and sitting on the front porch. The day was already turning to shit the closer she got to her ultimate goal. Not that her goal was even clear. She still needed to know who the victims or the crimes were and how they fit with Jacob's life story. Were they strangers, friends, a lover?

Looking down at her watch she noticed she still had a good 10 minutes before Mark and Carter arrived, so she decided that she should read through the file she'd stuffed away the night before. Flipping the flap of her bag she retrieved the file, placing it on her knees as she peeled the luscious orange.

**Personnel File #47728**

_Jacob William Black_

She took in most of the notes Carter had gone over with her on the phone, its repetition consistent with what he'd said. Leah had seen many files over the years, most of it containing unimportant babble and most things able to be skipped and read at a later point when she had more time on her hands. Personnel Files were always heavy night reading and often she'd drift off into a dreamless sleep when she read them on the Fort before she'd gone on assignment.

Flipping through the pages she stopped on a psychological report conducted by a doctor when he'd returned from Iraq with the injuries that ended his Special Forces career.

* * *

**03rd of August, 2014**

_Interview conducted under both written and video documentation_

**Session 1**

_Patient appears to not only have deep emotional trauma, but also suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, reporting of sleepless nights and often being woken by night tremors. Officer Black seems to recall events of a specific night that Military Reports do not substantiate. While the injury sustained seems to affect the mobility of his joints and will require some hours of physiotherapy, tests have shown that the patient will need to remain in the care of nursing staff. _

Leah scanned her eyes over the report landing on a few points that she could use to know Jacob Black better and hopefully prep her before she came face to face with the man. She came across several note files of his rescue and his extraction from enemy lines.

* * *

_Officer Black appears to have suffered extreme dehydration and organ fatigue by being subjected to four days in the Syrian Desert, lacking food, water and human contact, until finally being spotted by Search and Rescue 'Dart Fire' Team on a spot check fly over of hostile area, after reports of an American Solider wandering aimlessly through a number of terrorist identified hot spots._

_

* * *

_

_Officer Black was intercepted and detained by force rendering him unable to move. Restrained by the medical officer, suffering delusional bouts and mild hypoxia from the freezing desert nights had caused the patient to refuse to be taken into the Team 'Dart Fire's' medivac helicopter. The Officer was further treated with a mild sedative and detained in Army barrack 'Delta Ray Force' so further medical observations could be made._

_

* * *

_

_Patient became extremely aggravated and aggressive; when officers began a full scale report into the events surrounding the attack by hostile enemies while serving in Operation 'Desert Fire', on the 12th of July in Iraq, resulting in the minor assault of MP Jerry Donahue who attempted to induce the patient with 10cc of muscle relaxant._

_Officer Black refused to give detailed accounts, while also claiming events that subordinate officers gave in their reports did not happen._

_Officer Black reports gun fire from only his regiment's officers sounded on the given night and that enemy fire was returned only once instigated by fellow officers. When asked which one of his ranking officers were responsible for the unapproved fire of their weapons Black was unsure and began to tell MP Officers that things became blurry once the fire of bullets began._

_

* * *

_

Scanning aimlessly through the paperwork she jumped when she heard the loud beep of a horn. Looking up she could already see the smirking face of one General Mark Stone as he lent against the side of a black SUV gazing at her in his full Military uniform.

Leah nodded stuffing the paperwork back into her satchel and rose to her feet discarding the oranges peel in the nearby garden bed. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Sam pulling aside the curtain and glaring at the dark car parked on the footpath of the suburban street.

Walking over to the car, she watched Carter, jump from the car and immediately strike a salute to her.

"At ease soldier" She chuckled extending a warm hand to the young officer.

Carter looked around 19 years old. His face wasn't rugged and weary from war, and his hands where still fairly soft as he took her hand in a firm shake. He had warm blue eyes, though darker than most, and Leah could see his pupils dilate when he looked to her, his gaze resting on her lips.

"Nice to finally meet you Miss Clearwater" He spoke clearing his voice when Mark moved towards her obviously trying to regain some of his regal cool.

"_Clearwater_" Mark mused, his voice making ripples run through her. His voice was still as deep as she'd remembered from the longs nights she'd spent with him, eventually christening every table and bench top in both their barracks.

"Stone" She grimaced back, taking in his clear delight with her as he scanned her from head to toe, resting a tad longer on her hips and chest, before snapping his eyes back up to hers.

"You're looking good Leah" He smiled darting his eyes and also scanning the large house behind them. "I guess life has been treating you well?" He said offering his right hand in a shake.

She sighed reaching out her hand to his, shaking his warm calloused hand, his touch more familiar than it should have been. Before she could comment on the tight shake he had her hand in, he turned her hand and raised her knuckles up to his eyes, noticing the giant diamond rock on her finger.

"Married?" He asked suspiciously, secretly stroking her skin on the underside of her wrist.

"Shit" Leah hissed pulling her hand from his and slipping the ring off and placing it in her pocket. "Suburban hazard, I sometimes forget to take it off, and I guess I won't be needing this where we are going" She sighed. Leah had never taken the ring Sam had given her off and she hoped to God that he wasn't still watching through the curtain.

"So what's the name of the lucky man that finally tamed the great Leah Clearwater. Best damn 'Hell Cat' ever?"

"Engaged, _not_ married Stone. And I am sure you already know who I am engaged to. You're meticulous and I _know_ you always do your homework" She commented, rolling her eyes in the process.

"Touché. I just wanted to hear it from your lips to know whether it is serious or not." He smiled winking at her.

"Oh it's serious" She said in a slightly threatening tone, her palms becoming itchy as she balled them into tight fists.

"So no chance of sweeping you off your feet? Running away to a deserted island?" He smirked, once again giving her body the once over.

"Zero chance" She said in an icy voice while also noticing the slight disapproving headshake Carter was giving Stone.

"Guess you can't blame a guy for trying, after all it is the _chase_ that excites one the most" He chuckled shrugging his shoulders.

"Zero Chance _Stone_" She said shaking her head at his downright forwardness. Mark had never been one to hide his thoughts nor emotions which extended all the way to the bedroom.

"General just to let you know we should be heading off now. The warden is expecting us at 0900 hours and is adamant to meet with you regarding all the protocols before being allowed into D Block to meet with the prisoner. He has stated that the secondary team had arrived last night to try and talk to the prisoner" Carter interrupted in a soft voice, leaning in a little towards Mark.

"Thank you Officer. Shall we, _Leah_" He drawled, extending his arm toward the open door of the SUV.

Climbing in, Leah turned to see him staring at her ass with a lustful look on his face. "That's Clearwater to you" She spat sitting in the leather seat and pulling the seat belt down over her.

"We'll see. It's still so very early in the game after all" He smiled climbing in after her and closing the door.

* * *

AN: I have hijacked my friends computer to post for ya'll as mine is still with the dude that does magic and makes the laptop all better :) I know I haven't reviewed for some of you lovelies *cough* Kei *cough* but I will be on that mother once I get to work in the morning. I think my friend thinks I am snooping on her computer in her photo file :( hey... not my fault you decided to take sexy pics and saved them on your h:/ drive! LMFAO!

Loves!


	3. Glitter and James Dean

**I do not own Twilight**

* * *

_San Francisco Bay Area_

_17th of November, 2016_

**...**

08:38 hours

…

"Tell me Leah, how have you _really_ been?" Mark asked interrupting her silent reading of the personnel file. He'd already allowed her to peacefully read the pages for the last 27 minutes before he decided to break the silence. Leah didn't need to read the file per se; that was one thing he was sure of. He'd seen her coax information of f of both foreign diplomats and foreign threats many a time.

She was a woman of many talents even ones renown to herself. He'd never seen a woman more beautiful, whether fully naked and lying between the white sheets of an army bunker or her dressed in full military fatigue abseiling down the black cord of a helicopter winch.

Rolling her eyes Leah sighed, placing the file on her lap and turning towards Mark Stone, ex-lover, ex-friend, ex- all round. "Do we really want to do this Mark?" She asked raising an eyebrow and re-adjusting the belt against her chest.

"I don't follow you."

"Look Mark, whatever it was we had - is over. People move on, they change, they find different things that make them happy" She said unconsciously tapping against the ring in her pocket.

"So you're happy?"

"Very. Now can we please get down to business. Tell me what you know about Officer Black. Did you meet him before his arrest? What do his family and friends have to say about his charges. I need you to tell me everything you know. His hobbies, the school he attended as a child. Everything I am not going to find in this file" She said picking up the file and passing it back to him. "I need to know who he is, not what he's done in his life. I need to know from the start."

Mark nodded, looking over Leah carefully. It had been years, but the way she spoke felt like she'd never left the forces, her promising career and the life she'd built for herself.

"I don't know a lot Leah. As you know, he doesn't say anything. I spoke with his father once, asking for information on his son, only to be refused heavily and shooed away. He grew up in the Quileute Reservation a few hours west of Seattle. He is actually next in line to take the chief status from his father who is quite ill at the moment. It seems the old man likes to fish and has caught a nasty case of pneumonia. Black has submitted several court pleas to let him be released to see his father, but because he refused to open his mouth at the hearing, his requests were denied.

There is not much else and every good and promising lead just has us running in circles and chasing our own tails. The Colonel has told me to let you know that he expects you to gather as much information as you can and feed it back to him every couple of days."

"So you're not going to tell me what this 'thing' is? What you're looking for?"

"Unfortunately Clearwater you are no longer employed by the United States Army. As much as I hate to say it, the target is classified. But I can tell you this. If it ever got into the wrong hands we would be in for a global disaster. You see, it's a weapon, a weapon powerful enough to wipe out the face of the earth if triggered properly."

Leah shifted in her seat. "So your basically telling me to get a man, who hasn't spoken in who knows how long, to tell me, where a weapon is, that is capable of mass murder, in 14 days?" She said with narrowed eyes.

Mark nodded seriously at her. "You're the best Lee, and as you know, I only call in the best. If I had another choice you know I would have gone with that option. In my book, you're the only one that can do this, even with the massive time restraint. I know our – relationship – has been rocky but I could really use this favour. As a friend, of course."

"Right" Leah said suspiciously, looking up at Mark, attempting to read him.

"You don't have to read me Clearwater, to know that I am telling the truth. Perhaps you would like to take my pulse and ask me a series of questions" He motioned pushing his wrist out for her to take.

Leah's eyes flicked from his, to the pulse point in his neck, then down to his wrist, contemplating the offer. Sighing she leaned back into the leather and looked out the window. "No. It's fine." She murmured watching as they slowly drove toward the massive stone and steel prison in front of them.

The prison was guarded by a series of chain mesh gates all topped with twisted barb wire rolls to keep the prisoners in. No one had ever managed to escape the high stone walls of San Francisco's only maximum security prison. The incarceration rate of minorities is always higher than the white population. There were some small gang affiliates riddled beneath the quiet calm of the inmates that were usually a problem, but with the latest state funding the mayor had employed more and more guards to manage and deal with the overflow of prisoners.

* * *

After passing through the check points, the two were escorted by a guard to cell block D to get straight to work with the prisoner. Carter had been stationed by the vehicle and was informed to update them with any leads that were currently being outsourced to the rest of General Stone's people.

"No formal greeting from the boss?" Leah asked walking briskly beside Mark, both following the guard. She was surprised the Warden had not come to brief them on the security measures within the jail.

"No, no Warden. The president called in a favour and the Warden has extended his full cooperation toward the US Army. We, my dear Leah, are the highest priority and the Warden has chosen to turn a blind eye."

"How very 'professional' of him" She mumbled, coming to a halt outside a large metal door, labeled with the block of their destination. "When you say blind eye, what exactly do you-"

Leah's voice was drowned out by the heavy shift of the squeaking door, followed closely by the sound of a splattered impact. Turning her head, her eyes widened, taking in the scene in front of her.

The Bravo team, who was supposed to be coercing Black to talk, currently had the prisoner on his knees and beating him into talking. One of the soldiers held his head back with some kind of electrical cord, while the other was fisting his hair and punching him square in the face.

This was not how she was trained, how she had studied to be the best she could be. And this was the exact reason was she no longer believed in her own government.

"What the fuck-" Moving quickly she managed to push herself around Mark and ran straight towards the men, ready to use her extremely honed fighting skills to have the soldiers back off the subject. An Officer like Black was not merely going to give in to scare tactics. He had been trained to endure this type of pain, under the threat of being taken as a hostage.

Rolling her body to the side, she wrapped her arm around the neck of the soldier that was throwing the punches and placed her foot behind his legs, taking him by surprise. Pulling down against his throat with her forearm, using what weight she could, she swiftly dropped him down, his feet becoming unstable by the placement of her leg. By the time he hit the ground, she was already positioning herself behind him, holding her wrist, to press her arm down deeply into his neck, successfully maneuvering him into a choke hold.

"Back away" She hissed, applying more pressure to the soldier's neck while Mark stood with his arms crossed against his chest watching the reaction of the highly trained soldiers.

"Who the fuck is this bitch?" The soldier holding the cord around Jacob's neck, spat, tightening the cord and gaining a grunt from the prisoner.

"I'd listen to her if I was you" Mark's calm voice echoed through the large area.

"General Stone?" The soldier asked, unsure of whether to listen to his advice or keep the man bound.

"As I see it Captain Reynolds, you have two choices. Let the prisoner go, or watch former first class officer, Leah Clearwater, snap the neck of your subordinate." Mark mused stepping forward into the room and waiving out the prison guard.

"It's your choice" Leah spat, tightening her grip on the soldier in her arms, effectively closing off more and more air, the longer he took to decide.

"Okay okay" He said loosening the cord and stepping away from the man.

Leah watched as Jacob fell forward, gasping for air and clawing at the cord to rip it from his neck.

"Officer Black?" She called slowly loosening her grip on the soldier but still remaining in control of the situation. "Are you okay? Do you need medical attention?" She asked only to be replied with a shake of his head and a grunt.

Leaning down, Leah whispered violently into the soldier's ear. "Look at this man. This is how you treat one of your own? You should be ashamed of yourself" In one swift movement she let the man go, allowing him to get to his feet.

The soldier she had bound, rose to his feet, a deadly anger flickering in his eyes. Before she had time to blink, he pulled his weapon from his holster and pointed it at her, his movements shaky from the lack of oxygen pumping to his brain.

She looked him dead in the eye as she stepped forward, allowing her forehead to press against the muzzle of the gun. "You think I'm afraid of a gun?" She hissed, stepping closer again, making him step back.

"Lower your weapon soldier" Mark yelled, feeling the atmosphere build around them in the dark dankly celled area.

"You think I'm afraid to die?" She said a slight smile on her lips as the solider shuffled on his feet. Making the mistake of glancing to his partner, Leah grabbed to nozzle of the gun and twisted it out of the Officer's hand, drawing it quickly.

The tables had now turned and Leah pressed the gun against the underside of his jaw, watching as his Adams apple bob nervously in his throat. "Not all that glitters is gold and not all who wander are lost" She whispered, flicking the clip and letting the magazine drop to the floor before tossing the gun to a far corner of the room. "And never pull a weapon on a woman."

Moving around the soldiers, she knelt down on one knee to look over Jacob. "Are you okay?" She asked, touching his shoulder only to have him shake her off.

"Reynolds, Larkin. You have done enough here, you are dismissed." Mark said angrily eyeing Larkin who had dared pull a gun on Leah. "You pull that shit again and I'll have your credentials, you hear me?"

With a grunt Larkin followed Reynolds out of the room, leaving the rest of the work to be done.

* * *

…

10:06 Hours

...

"You going to be okay in there – alone?" Mark asked watching as Leah grabbed a couple of water bottles from the bag.

"I have a feeling I would be safer with Black then with your other two goons. Nice touch by the way." She grimaced, standing to her full height and rubbing her forearm. The bruising would surely start to set in in a couple of hours, and she would be hit with a fussing, over protective Sam when she got home.

"I don't follow" Mark said frowning at her and watching her rub her arm.

"Nice try. Good set up though. Typical good cop, bad cop, right? Have the two knuckle heads lay into the prisoner, and then along comes good cop, instantly creating a rapport and line of trust between the two. You could have told them to go a little easier on him though. Infirmary said that he suffered a broken rib and cuts to the face." She explained as they walked toward the firm bullet proof glass Jacob sat behind, chained to electric locks behind a table.

"Leah, you can't surely think, that I-"

"Save it Mark. I know you better than you know yourself. I know this 'government' better than it knows itself. Wish me luck" She sighed, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "Open on 32" She called, watching as the lock popped on the door and it inched open.

"You don't need luck Clearwater" He smiled, as he pulled the door shut, locking her in the room with Jacob Black.

* * *

Leah turned to Jacob, noticing the tripod and camera set up in the corner to record the interaction. Looking over him, she saw the cut on his cheek and eye that had been cleaned and stitched, his right eye only partially swelling.

Jacob breathed deeply opening his eyes and looking up at her, taking her off guard. She was watching him strangely as she placed a water bottle down in front of him and sat on the chair across the table. He looked at the water bottle before his eyes flicked back to hers and then again to the water bottle, asking her silently of its contents.

"Not to worry. It's not poisoned." She smiled, watching as his brown eyes dropped to the bottle and back to her again. "Fine" She huffed, reaching for the water and unscrewing the top. She quickly took a small slip and placed the bottle back in front of Jacob.

His hands came up slowly, the clanging of his shackled wrists scrapping across the table, clutching the bottle. Pressing the bottle to his lips he looked at her, as he drunk the water slowly noticing as she began arranging a file in front of her.

"Special Forces Officer Jacob Black born 2nd of February 1988. Son of William Black, only surviving parent, currently in Seattle's Harborview Medical Center, ICU unit, suspected pneumonia caught during a recent fishing outing with one Charles Stafford Swan. Tell me Officer Black, what happened on that night, the night your squadron was attacked, tell me what happened and I can see to it you are released to see your father." Leah said watching as his eyes bore into her own. She knew she had already struck a chord by mentioning his father, but she was hopeful it would evoke some emotion in him. At least enough for him to talk to her.

Opening the file, Leah began to flick through the pages, reciting the words from it's contents."Tell me Jacob – I can call you Jacob right?" She asked, him replying with a slow nod.

"Tell me, what was it that first brought you to the army? I see you have no family ties to the organisation, yet its stated here that it has been your life long mission to excel in the core. Do you think sitting here in this cell, not talking to anyone, is excelling?

Tell me about your first mission Jacob, the first time you led your squad into enemy lines. Tell me about your team, First Class Special Forces Paul Meraz, currently serving in North Africa, re-assigned after the attack in Iraq. Tell me about Officer Emmett Cullen, your transport and explosives specialist, currently serving in Beirut, under Colonel Joseph Egan." She asked, placing the team photo down in front of him, pointing out each Special Forces Officer.

"SF Officer, Hale? SF Technical Officer Call? Tell me why instead of assigning a new team leader to your group, the army disbanded your team, sending each one of them to different areas of the globe. What happened that night Jacob? What happened that night that you refuse to talk about?"

She watched as his eyes stayed focused to the picture, his hands reaching out and grabbing the glossy paper. She could see the scarring of his knuckles as he picked up the picture and looked closely at it. He opened his mouth several times before he shut it again, looking up at her and then quickly glancing behind her shoulder.

She glanced over her shoulder and was startled when she heard him speak. "Officer Leah Clearwater. Born to Susan and Harry Clearwater. Graduated as the youngest airborne fighter in the Forces at 18 and 7 months old. Battalion 'Hell Cats' and aptly named the 'Cougar' for your extreme flight techniques and capacity to fly at such speeds to not be detected on routine flyovers of 'the strip'. Later upgraded to the Psychological Operations Group at 21 after graduating with honours from Harvard University with a major in Psychological Warfare and minoring in Advanced Technical Communication." He said calmly placing the photo down. "I've been waiting for you" He smiled barely, just enough for her to get a look at his white teeth.

"And if I wouldn't have come?" She asked, still astounded that he spoke, let alone knew anything about her.

Jacob merely shrugged and grabbed for his water again. "Then I suppose no one would ever hear my story and I would be put to death."

"Why wait this long to speak? Why wait until you have only-" Glancing at her watch she frowned "13 days , 1 hour, 12 minutes - to tell your side of the story?"

"Because-" He smiled leaning closer, as if about to tell her a secret. "Because I knew you'd come, he told me so-"

Grinning he leaned back in his chair, looking over her appreciatively as if nothing at all was wrong in the world. As if they were merely sitting in a coffee shop or at the beach. Just talking.

"Who?" She asked, before a loud ringing began to buzz in her ears. Covering her ears with her palms, her eyes darted to the wall, noticing the lights had been cut and the red alarm light was flashing around the room, creating a eerie motion around them.

She could hear the guards yelling from outside the glass doors, their eyes wide, as they fumbled with the keys, the power obviously short circuiting the electric locks on the doors.

Spinning back around she let out an involuntary shriek, stunned to find Jacob standing only inches away from her, his face looking down at her. He was at least six foot four, his body broad and wide as he stood in front of her, his feet and wrists still bound together.

"How did you-"

"The locks let go of my chains. It's a safety mechanism" He whispered as he lower his face to her hair and inhaled her scent of almonds and something sweet that he couldn't put his finger on.

Leah felt helpless and felt a rush move through her as he smelled her hair. The sound of the alarm, Mark screaming and battering on the glass for the guards to hurry up and for Jacob to step away, faded away around her.

Raising his bound wrists, he grasped her chin in his hands and pressed his lips forcefully against hers, tasting the lips of a real woman, one he hadn't had the privileged of sampling in such a long time. Her lips were soft like pillows as he pressed his own against them. Like they were taken care of, moisturized and loved. Slowly but still demanding, Jacob snaked his tongue through her lips and teeth, swirling and lapping at her own pink organ. Her mouth was so soft, so wet and so fucking hot. But what surprised him most was that she wasn't fighting him off and her mouth was moving with his. In sync, perfectly-

Suddenly both of them were rushed. Mark pulling Leah swiftly away and the two guards tackling the prisoner to the ground.

"Lee?" Mark called over the sound of the sirens, shaking her noticing her slightly dazed state. "Leah, are you okay? God damn filthy piece of shit" He hissed, watching as Jacob grinned at him, raising an eyebrow as if to challenge him.

"I'm fine" She murmured touching her lips and watching as Jacob was led away back to his cell.

"Leah – He knew you'd come!" Jacob called, stunning everyone in the immediate area, as he fought against the guards. "Dream as if you'll live forever, live as if you'll die today" He screamed out as the doors closed behind him.

Leah's body tensed immediately. There was only one man who ever said those words to her, only one man in her entire life. The one who would sit with her and watch James Dean movies on a Friday night and pig out on pizza. The only man that she trusted with her life besides her father. The man she'd lost in a war, not made by either of their hands.

_Seth_.

* * *

AN- Once again big thank you to 'hgmsnoopy' for Beta-ing this and fixing up some geographic errors.


	4. Grey Carpet and Letters

**I do not own Twilight**

* * *

Marin Bay Park Hotel

_Greenbrae, CA_

…

16:00 hours

…

"Are you sure you're fine?" Mark asked, stopping Leah from pacing the floor and burning a hole in the carpet.

She was quick to shrug him off and continued to make ashen marks in the grey carpet with her boots. "Stop fucking asking if I'm fine. Of course I'm fine" She snapped, her mind whirling with conclusions, theories and summaries. The person that told Jacob she would come – could it be? But that didn't make sense- wasn't he-

"Then why are you shaking?" Mark whispered, grabbing her fingertips and stilling her hand. Leah looked down at her free hand and saw that she was trembling. Watching Mark stroke her fingers lightly for only a second, she slowly pulled her hand out of his. "You're still shaking and it's been over 5 hours. I don't think you should go back-"

"No! I have to go back. I need to talk to him. He has information, I _know _it. He wants to tell me something, something about-" She said with urgency, running her fingers through her hair harshly.

"He's not coming back Leah" Mark whispered from the edge of the bed. "You know that right?" Getting to his feet, he stood in front of her taking her hands back into his own. "No matter what you do, Seth isn't going to walk through the door any minute and be in your life again. He's gone Lee."

Leah face crumbled immediately as she looked away from him. "I know that Stone. I just want a chance to know what happened. What _really_ happened - Seth meant everything to me and I wasn't there for him, not when he needed me most."

"Leah-" Mark sighed, cupping her face in his hands. "You can't blame yourself for what happened."

"I'm not. I just want to know – if he was afraid – if he was alone. I _deserve _to know."

Dragging his thumbs across Leah's cheeks, Mark nodded. "Of course you do. But don't forget what your primary role is. You're here to find out every single piece of information about that night, not just what happened with your brother."

"I know." Leah smiled, laying her hands over his and closing her eyes. His hands were so warm, so hard yet delicate, so-

Snapping her eyes open, Leah let his hands go and stepped away from him and cleared her throat. "Thank you for all you've done Mark. I guess I'll just hit the sack now." She motioned with her head towards the bed.

"You need company?" Mark asked with a small smirk. "I hear it gets cold out here at night."

Leah shook her head and grinned. "Nah – I'm good."

Mark smiled and walked towards the door "You need anything, I'll just be across the hall okay?"

"Yeah thanks."

Leah let out a line of breath and Mark closed the door behind himself. Quickly she moved towards the door and pulled the chain across and locked the dead bolt, laying her forehead against the door.

This all seemed so much to shoulder in such a short time but she knew that she was more than likely going to hear things from Jacob that she wasn't sure she was ready for. Jacob could shed light and give her a play by play of what happened to her brother, what his last words were, what injuries he had really sustained.

Groaning she reached for her pocket, the cell phone vibrating violently against her pant leg. "Sam-" She breathed, her forehead still firmly attached to the door, her lips thinning as she frowned.

"Leah - how... how are you?" Sam asked timidly.

"Fine Sam. How is Morgan? Did my mother have any trouble with her?" Leah asked, knowing that Morgan had always preferred to stay with her and Sam. Morgan suffered a lot from night terrors and she would wake, her face streaked with tears and her hands trembling. Leah would often let her sneak into bed with her and Sam, snuggled safely between the two while she played with the little girls hair.

"Sue's having a hard time with her. Her teachers gave me a call today and asked if they could meet with us tomorrow, after school. Her grades seem to be slipping and she is acting aggressively towards some of the other students."

Leah sighed into the phone hearing Sam speak. "Of course she's having a hard time Sam. She's 6 years old. She lost both her dad and her mom, how do they expect a little girl to cope with that kind of situation?"

"I don't know Lee, but the principal is talking about other options for Morgan's schooling. Like a special school or something. Somewhere she can be supervised closely and maybe even going to see a child psychologist-"

"Morgan is not stupid. Nor is she mentally challenged. She will not take the place of a child who actually needs those positions in those gifted schools. And a psychologist? Really Sam - didn't you tell them-"

"Leah I told them you were a psychologist. But honey, you're not a _child _psychologist."

"Children and soldiers are much alike Sam. The world is made up of infinite rules and so is the core. Both share the instinctive ability to learn, and both can be taught consequences. It's not rocket science where everything is exact but the similarities do run pretty close. If worse comes to worse-"

"No" Sam said forcefully, as if he was scolding her.

"What?" Leah asked, her voice raising a little and her eyebrow arching.

"Leah - Morgan _will _see the proper people. Money is not an issue. We can get her the best, get her mind sorted out so she can snap out of this 'phase' she is going through. The school won't be a problem either. I can pay for it, my money is _our_ money Lee."

Leah felt like her vision was turning red and she was having a hard time keeping it together and breathing evenly. "It's not a _phase _Sam-" She spat, pounding her closed fist against the door and pushing herself from the pine. "Morgan is acting out the only way she knows how. She lost her father, he's dead Sam. He's not coming back. Her mother abandoned her duties as a parent. She is probably feeling like no one loves her and no one wants her. But she's wrong Sam - I love her and I want her. She's _mine_." Leah hissed into the phone, tears streaking down from her eyes.

Morgan was always a sensitive issue and Sam always seemed like he was trying to push Morgan away out of their lives. Boarding school had come up many times but Leah would have none of it. She was better off with people who loved her, she just needed time.

"I will not give up on her Sam. She is a good girl, she's bright and funny and warm and-" Leah ended her words with a sob, a flash of her brother's face swirling through her mind.

* * *

"Lee-Lee look" Seth smiled, his dummy held by his lips as he mumbled around it, pointing his chubby finger towards the horizon. It was a bright sunny day with only minimal clouds, and just the right temperature for the beach.

Leah looked up from the sandcastle she was intently patting down, attempting to make a moat for her princesses castle. The moat was always last and was always the most challenging. Her daddy had told her to 'start' with the moat first, but she refused to listen. Squinting her eyes past her baby brother, she got to her feet, dusting the sand off her hands and stood next to him, her toes squishing in the sand and her hair blowing slightly in the afternoon breeze.

"What is it Lee-Lee?" Seth asked, his head tilting upwards towards her, his baby brown eyes glistening with intrigue.

Sitting down in a slump next to him, Leah lay down, resting her head on the wet sand watching the magical thing flying in the sky. Seth watching his older sister lay in the sand, followed suit, always ready to mimic his big sister. He turned his cheek into the sand and watched as Leah's mouth turned up into a smile.

"It's a fighter jet Sethy. Grandpa George used to fly in them and shoot down other jets in the war."

Seth's eye brows furrowed together, as he looked from her face to the sky. "But it's so small... how would papa George fit in it?"

Leah howled out a laugh shaking her head and turning towards him, both their heads turned and cheeks in the cool sand. "It only _looks _small Seth. But really it is bigger than our house." Seth's eyes turned into dinner plates as his head snapped back to the flying object, watching the grey bird like thing do a circle in the sky.

"You think papa George will take me one day?" He asked, shuffling his back as the wet sand stuck to his skin and matted in his hair.

"Maybe when you're a big boy Seth." She shrugged, affording him a side glance.

"But I _am _a big boy!" Seth cried out. He had already turned 5 years old and his mum said he was a big boy now and he didn't need anyone to help him tie his shoe laces.

"Big boys don't need their dummies" Leah shrugged keeping her eyes on the jet. "But don't worry Seth. I am going to fly one of those one day and I will take you with me" Leah smiled, grasping his hand in her own, when she'd noticed his face drop. "We are going to fly far far away from here, and we are going to go so high we can see the stars"

Seth's face perked up as Leah squeezed his hand. "Can we play in the clouds Lee-Lee? Visit Nana Molly? Mummy says Nana Molly lives in heaven which is in the clouds. I wonder what they taste like?"

"I think they taste like marshmallows" Leah replied, glancing to see Harry walking down the beach.

Seth quickly got to his feet and ran to Harry, who had rolled up his suit pants and button up shirt. "Hey buddy" Harry chuckled as his son hugged his legs, his little body covered in sand.

"We knew you'd come daddy. Me and Lee-Lee knew!" He cried happily as Harry picked him up and ruffled his hair.

"Of course I'd come" Harry smiled, his 100 watt grin making both his kids smile. "You guys are my favourite kids, and don't you forget it!"

Leah laughed rolling her eyes, and walking over to Harry to give him a big hug. "Were your only kids dad" She explained rolling her eyes, but none the less, squeezing into Harry. "How was your work?"

"Boring as usual" Harry replied, setting Seth down back into the sand.

"We could help you daddy. I can paint you pictures to put on your wall and help with licking the letters" Seth said racing around collecting sand and dropping it at Harry's feet, urging his father to sit down with them and build a castle. "Then you can come home and tuck us in on time."

"I'd love that buddy" He smiled, kissing Leah's forehead and sitting on the sand.

Seth pulled the dummy from his mouth and placed it in Harry's shirt pocket. "I don't need this dad. I'm a big boy now... Me and Lee-Lee are gonna fly so high in the sky!" He grinned, racing around the two, imitating an airplane.

* * *

...

0100 hours

...

Laying down in the motel bed, Leah huffed as her head finally made contact with the pillow. Sleep was not going to come easily after the argument with Sam. She had tried to explain that putting Morgan on others was not the answer. They were her parents, for all intents and purposes, and she wasn't about to give up the one thing that still connected her with Seth.

Kicking at the sheets, Leah sighed and sat on the side of the bed, running her hands through her long hair. She was contemplating what she would say to Jacob Black when she saw him tomorrow morning. She hadn't exactly laid down rules and she was sure that now, Mark would be doing so once they met in the morning.

The men that had beaten Jacob had been part of the Delta B team that had been trying to get the prisoner to talk for the last month with no avail. She knew that men always possessed a skewed way to get another man to talk. Violence was not always the answer, though it was constantly surrounding her.

Closing her eyes tightly she couldn't help but remember the way his lips had felt. She wasn't sure why she hadn't detained him in the middle of the room and stomped on his throat with her boot. No one had ever kissed her that she wasn't interested in, unless they walked away with a bruised ego or face.

Did she like Jacob? Was she interested in him romantically or was it just because she had argued with Sam that day? She wasn't sure of much, but she was sure that when Jacob's lips pressed against hers she couldn't deny the fact that her heart was pumping blood through her body too fast and her brain felt like it was being constricted of air. Jacob literally took her breath away and she wasn't sure if she was comfortable with that fact. There was no chance with Jacob, no links that tied them together besides her brother, no way could there ever be anything between them. But somehow, even as complete strangers, she felt a calm energy flow from him. One she'd never felt before, except for one time.

His name was Muhammed Ibrahim and he was a prisoner in the middle of the Syrian Desert at one of the highly classified and off the map, holding facilities. He was taken in the middle of the night, his home stormed and his house burned to the ground, leaving his wife and children to take shelter with relatives. He'd been charged with conspiring against the American government, sheltering and harbouring fugitives and participating in terrorist acts. He didn't have the option of being convicted by a jury of his peers. He didn't have the option of a defense attorney. No. He was beaten, tortured and electrocuted until he gave up information about his activities and colleagues.

When the crack force that had captured him and realised he could not give any useful information and knew next to nothing, they left him to starve. A human body can only survive a couple of days, without clean water, food and medical attention. Had Ibrahim been in top health he may have survived a couple of weeks, but with broken ribs and open wounds to the bone, he didn't stand a chance. An innocent man had died and not one of them blinked or batted an eyelash, stating merely that 'given time, the crabs all crawl in the same pot'.

Getting up from the bed, Leah walked slowly to the small bathroom, turning on the metal tap and splashing a hand full of water over her face. Looking up into the mirror she frowned, taking in her state. Her face looked a little pale and her lips were pressed tightly into a grimace even though she hadn't realised she was doing so. Watching the droplets of water drip from her chin into the basin she closed her eyes and rested her hands on the sides of the counter top.

Standing silently for only a moment, so heard the soft tapping of knuckles on wood. Opening her heavy lids she glanced to the door noticing a shadow move from the small slit underneath it. The light in the hallway was making it appear as if someone was standing in the hallway just outside her door. She grumbled to herself, ready to turn Mark away if he had any thoughts of coming back into the room.

Walking across the room she noticed movement in the light. Walking faster, she placed her palms on the door and peered out through the peep hole noticing the hallway empty. Turning the door knob she glanced out of the room and noticed a small white envelope on the ground. Careful not to unchain the door, Leah stuck her foot out and dragged the envelope inside the room, bending quickly to pick it up and re-locking the door.

Flipping the envelope over, she studied it before carefully slipping her finger under the flap and pulling it open. Inside was a small white piece of paper with a note carefully written. It was only one sentence but the power of the words made her blood turn to ice. The black chicken scratch looked familiar but she seemed unable to place it's owner. Across the white paper in bold print was three small words, which had suddenly changed the game altogether.

'_Don't trust Sam'_

* * *

AN- Thanks to the awesome 'hgmsnoopy' who Beta'd this chapter quick smart! I arrived home from the Sunshine Coast, QLD 6 hours ago... yeah, I couldn't wait! XD


	5. Red Hawks and Resistance

**I do not own Twilight**

* * *

San Quentin State Prison

_San Francisco__ Bay__ Area , CA_

Day II

…

0800 hours

…

"There are three rules Black. _One_ - Move from your seat and you will have a bullet in your head. _Two_ – look at her in a disapproving manner and I will tear your eyes from their sockets and _Three_ – you ever place your mouth near her, I will see to it that the lethal injection is tossed out the window and they use the chair. Got it?" Mark hissed leaning his hands on the table and glaring at Jacob who merely wore a smirk on his face.

"Okay Mark, I got this" Leah whispered placing a warm hand on his shoulder to ease him off the prisoner.

Mark narrowed his eyes further before nodding and turning to leave from the room. "I mean it Black, one single step out of line and the last thing you will ever see is my face." He growled darkly before slamming the door behind him.

"Overprotective, isn't he?" Jacob smiled, diverting his eyes from the door to Leah. Today she was in a pair of black jeans, and a purple silk blouse that was extremely modest, though almost exculpating each delicious curve. The boots she wore were the same as the day before. Military issue and good for all terrain. It was obvious that the woman still carried some of the 'Core' with her.

"I guess you could say that" Leah nodded, taking a seat from across Jacob, who had been double chained for security purposes after the incident yesterday. All the guards were still at a loss to why the power lines had been tripped and the Warden was currently investigating the cause. "So where do you want to begin? Would you like to tell me how you-'

"Did you enjoy the kiss as much as I did?" Jacob asked before she had even finished her sentence. His eyes were boring into her head, searching out a speck of a lie, indicating she had in fact enjoyed herself.

"I don't think that this line of questioning is-"

"Because if I didn't know any better, _you_ kissed _me_ back." He said smugly, placing his hands on the table and tapping his fingers. "Tell me Leah, do you find me attractive?" He grinned, the perfect white of his teeth shining in the low light of the room.

"Unbelievable" Leah muttered, rolling her eyes and placing his file down on the table. Flipping a few pages open she landed on the night medics picked Officer Black up from the middle of the desert.

"I thought so too" He smirked, his eyes dancing with contentment and the smug arrogance of an asshole. "Though we could always try again – just to make sure it wasn't a fluke." He said, though not in a question form, more of a statement.

"I don't think so Officer Black. Now let's get down to-"

"Do you like the beach Leah? Perhaps we could take a trip there? Make it a date?"

"Goddamn it Black" Leah spat, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the file in her hands. "If you haven't noticed you're on death row. The only date you have is with God."

Jacob looked over her quietly, taking in her anger. Instead of being intimidated, he seemed amused. "Do you _believe_ in God, Leah Clearwater? Do you believe there is a higher power, watching over us this very minute?" He hummed leaning forward and staring at her. "Do you believe everything happens for a reason – and that maybe our destinies where written a long time ago?"

Leah's eyes locked with Jacob's in an almost challenging way. "Okay" She sighed, removing her fist from the file and placing her palm flat against the table. "You answer my question and I will answer one of yours"

Jacob chuckled "Tit for tat. I wouldn't have it any other way." He smiled, reaching for one of the capped water bottles and unscrewing the lid to take a mouthful.

"Who ordered your team to commence fire on your last mission?" She asked, taking note of the pulse in his neck and watching his eyes carefully.

"I don't know." He said plainly, glancing down at the file. If he was lying, Leah was definitely unable to tell.

"How did you end up within firing range that night? Did the team have any cargo that was deemed classified and were the appropriate safety measures in place before the re-con?" She ebbed, watching as his face remained unchanged.

"I believe that is _more_ than _one_ question Leah. You're already breaking the rules. I answered your question – I don't know who gave the order. Now it's your turn - do you _believe_ in God?"

Leah glared at Jacob and felt her brows furrow. "No. I used to believe, but now faith is merely something that is lost on me."

"Why?" He asked, his hands reaching across the table as far as the chains would allow, as if reaching for her hands.

"Me first. Did you have any classified cargo?" She said, flicking her gaze from his out stretched hands to his face. Was he really expecting her to slip her hands into his?

Sighing Jacob nodded. "Yes. Our merchant truck was carrying several containers that we deemed extremely classified and were only traveling with us as priority. You see, my team wasn't in the Middle East to be transport and cargo specialists, but at the last minute, there was a command for us to assist and protect the truck. Had I known what was going to happen that night, I would have at least been prepared. Command didn't specify what the itinerary was. I found out the hard way."

"The hard way?" Leah asked with her arms laying over each other and her elbows on the table.

"Once the exchange of fire began and we became surrounded, I knew that it had something to do with the cargo. When I had a chance, I crawled to the truck and cut through the tarp to get inside."

"What did you find?"

"I scrambled to the back to find the marked crates. There were big red stickers on the sides and I tore off the lid by slamming the blunt end of my rifle in the crease -"

Leah's eyes were wide this time, no matter what she tried; she was enthralled by his story. "What did you find in the crate?" She asked quietly, arching her eyebrow slightly.

Jacob smiled, Leah noticing the left corner of his mouth reaching millimetres higher that the right side. "Why did you lose your faith Leah? What made your beliefs change?"

Leah hesitated for a moment, before she sucked in a deep breath. "I was packing for an assignment in Italy. My commanding officer had informed me and my team that we were going to interview several captives of the bombing in Paris that brought down the Eiffel tower in 2013. The prisoners had been held in Italy, amid fears that riots would break out if France held them."

"I only had a few hours until I was scheduled to board one of the military planes when Mark Stone, knocked on the door. When he told me that my brother had – _passed_ – I knew that everything I believed in was gone. God heard my pleas but he ignored me. Now, I am not even sure he exists. I cried out to him to take it all back and make it right, but he did nothing. Instead, I buried my brother seven days after he died. I was never a devoted Catholic before then, but ever since then, I have not once prayed, I wince when I walk past churches and I hate going to mass on Christmas Eve with my mother."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, her eyes left the cool surface of the table to look up at Jacob who was frowning. "_So..._ I answered your question, please answer mine. What did you find in the crate?" She asked shuffling in her seat, feeling the coolness seep through her jeans to her skin.

"I didn't find anything" He stated, looking directly at her.

"_Wait_ – what did you mean?"

"I mean exactly what I said Leah. There was nothing in the crate. Nothing but stuffing. I ripped the crate apart out of frustration. I moved on to the next crate and there was also nothing in there. I tore that whole cab of the truck apart. We'd been sent out there with _nothing_."

"That doesn't make sense" Leah mumbled, flipping through the open file and searching through the stacks of papers. "It says the cargo was loaded and that your team was carrying items that were to be delivered to the checkpoint. _Why_ would they send your team out there if there was _no_ cargo?"

"That is the same question I have been asking myself while I have been here and have only come up with one answer-" He answered darkly, his eyes trembling in anger.

"Which is?"

"_We_ were the cargo. _My_ team was being delivered to the checkpoint, not some crates in the back of the transport truck. _We_ were the target – and we fell right into their fucking hands" Jacob growled, his fist banging against the top of the table.

* * *

…

1100 hours

…

Walking down the hallway, Leah stopped midway and waited. Crossing her arms across her chest, she huffed out a breath and laid her head back against the brick of the wall.

She heard the tapping of his boots before she heard his voice. "I'm sorry ma'am – I mean Leah." He muttered nervously, coming to a stand still in front of her. "I got everything you asked for. Police report and background check. A few problems came up with retrieving some of the information but I can guarantee you, it's all there. It helps having friends in high places and some in _not_ so high places. I just want to warn you though-" Carter breathed out "-he also has a _military_ record-"

"What?" Leah gasped, snatching the file from the young soldier's hands and flipping over the cover. Just inside the flap sat a small photo pinned to the file. He was wearing a full military outfit and had his medals pinned to his chest. His brown eyes looked dangerous as she stared at the photo, both in shock and heartbreak.

He had been lying to her. He knew everything there was to know. He had been a Special Forces Officer in a re-con unit known as the 'Red Hawks' known for their infiltration techniques and special abilities in retrieving and destroying missions.

She stared at the photo, a cold chill running through her veins. How could she not know? Not see the obvious? It felt like the ultimate betrayal. She had been truthful and revealed her past to him and yet he had this whole other life she knew nothing about. She had been played precisely and strung like a fiddle and it felt as if her whole heart was being shattered into a million pieces.

"You need to see page 16" Carter whispered, shuffling his feet nervously, his blonde hair also shimmering under the light. "I have to get back before General Stone realises I am gone."

Leah nodded not looking up at him as her eyes scanned the pages. On page 16 was a small paragraph.

'Currently on assignment. Status: classified. Code Name: The Fox. SF Officer has successfully infiltrated target and cover is not compromised. Problems arisen in the form of a civilian but is adamant that cover is intact. SF Officer _Uley_ will continue to carry out duties in search of the 'weapon'.'

Currently there were only two thoughts racing through Leah's mind, ricocheting against the walls of her skull. Who had put the note out side her room to warn her and was Morgan really safe with _Sam_?

* * *

"Tell me how you got that scar" Jacob asked bobbing his head toward Leah's face, staring intently at the small pale scar that cut across the left side of the bottom and top of her lip. Not many people noticed it because it had long healed and when she wore lipstick one could not even tell it was there.

Bringing her hand to her mouth, Leah touched the scar and sighed. "It was when I was a kid. My grandfather flew a fighter jet and he was my hero. I thought that maybe if I made wings and flew off the roof of the house, I would fly high like he did in the plane."

"So that didn't turn out well I'm guessing?" Jacob chuckled, noticing the small private smile Leah held.

"Actually before I crash landed in the back yard there was this moment. It was only a second, like time stood still from when my feet left the roof and I was suspended in the air. Every time I fly I think of that moment, but I can never get it back. The same rush, the same feeling, it always eludes me. Sometimes I think about jumping off the roof to see if it even existed, or if I just imagined the feeling."

"Tell me how you felt?" Jacob whispered.

"I felt like – like I was _free_, like nothing else mattered, not my parents, not my grades at school, not anything. Freedom is the one thing I have been looking for and can never find. Not ever, except for that split second. When I came around, I woke up in the hospital with a concussion and a broken leg. My father said that the whole time I was out of it I was smiling. Then he told me I was grounded forever." Leah laughed thinking back on her father's stern words and the way he fretted over her.

"Freedom can only truly be appreciated once you're inside these walls" Jacob commented, glancing around at the four walls surrounding them. "Freedom is not always just and does not always protect the weak. Freedom is a privilege and _not_ a god given right. Countries and people believe in freedom though any of us are rarely able to obtain it." He sighed, trying to run a heavy chained hand through his hair.

"Tell me about your father Jacob"

He gave her a questioning look before he replied. "My father is my rock. He has always been such a strong man, leader of his people. He was disappointed when I joined the Core. Disappointed that I was fighting for a government that had let my people starve, that stuck us in a modern day 'detention camp'. A government that was stealing land and making profits from the misfortune of my people. My father has always been a strong influence over me, but this was one thing I needed to do. He told me that I had a duty to my people and that if I left when they needed me, I would not be welcome back. When I walked out my father called me a coward and a sell out. He called me a traitor and told me that he would never consider me his son." Jacob spoke quietly, his fingers weaving in between each other.

"And you want to visit him?"

"Yes. I mean, I was supposed to be the next tribal leader on the council, the next chief. I was the last remaining male descendant of the great Ephraim Black and I was supposed to lead my people. Being in here has made me regret everything I ever did. I should have listened to my father and stayed with him, maybe he wouldn't have become sick. Both my sisters are married and there are not many people he trusted to care for him." Jacob sighed wiping his cheeks feeling a small slither of a tear run down his face. "I just thought that maybe if I saw him one last time, that I could tell him I loved him and that no matter what they say about me, about the reason I am in here, that it's not true. I didn't kill anybody Leah. I am not a murderer."

Leah nodded watching the anguish cross Jacob's impossibly handsome features. "I can help you" She breathed, standing from her chair and sitting on the edge of the table to look down at him. "You need to tell me everything though. No lies, no shadows, just the truth. If you tell me, I can help you. If not-"

"Then I am a dead man walking, I know." He whispered, reaching out and grasping her hand between his and running his fingers over her flesh. "You're going to be in danger Leah. Once I tell you everything, I will not be able to take it back. Everything you ever believed is going to change. There are people that want me silenced and once they find out you know, you will also be in the line of fire"

"I am a big girl, I think I can protect myself" She said, watching as his fingers danced over hers. She couldn't begin to imagine why she was letting him touch her in this way but never the less she did.

"You're wrong. Only _I_ can protect you, you don't know these men. They are ruthless and they will stop at nothing. I need you to keep all of the things I tell you, to yourself. You cannot tell anyone, not even General Mark Stone. You cannot trust anyone."

"And why should I trust you Jacob? I know nothing about you-"

"You know me Leah, you know I am innocent." He sighed, slipping his fingertips in between hers and grasping her hand.

"Your innocence proves nothing" She said softly, closing her eyes to feel his hand work over her own.

"What if I give you something? Something that would make you believe?"

"Like what?" She breathed, as his free hand gently rubbed her wrist, trying to ease the tension from her hands.

"Your brother" He whispered.

Her eyes snapped open and she stared down at him, his brown orbs glittered with emotion. "_What_?" She asked astounded, fearing what he might say next.

"I can - take you... to _him_" Jacob nodded truthfully, watching as her face twisted with an indescribable hurt and horror.

In the cold room, Leah felt every resistance she'd built inside herself come crashing down, leaving her naked and exposed, her heart beating rawly in her chest, threatening to implode and kill her.

* * *

AN: Another big thanks to 'hgmsnoopy' who Beta'd this for me... medals and cookies for you!


	6. Static and Encrypted Files

**I do not own Twilight**

* * *

Saint Elizabeth School for Girls

_San Francisco__, CA_

Day II

…

1745 hours

…

Pulling into the car park of Morgan's school, Leah could still feel her heart racing a mile a minute. Her hands were still shaking and her mind was a blur. The drive from the prison to her current location seemed to help, though the anxiety in her stomach was beating the shit out of her internal organs.

Jacob had tried to make a deal with her; a deal that could land both of them in hot water. She would probably live out her days in a maximum security prison while they put him to death. The deal had been simple, easy, almost - calculated.

There were 12 days left. 12 days until the state put Jacob Black to death. 12 days until there would be nothing left to do for him. There would be no more discussions, no more glances, no more confusion. Jacob Black would be put to death and all of this would end.

Closing her eyes she groaned and rested her head on the steering wheel. In reality she already knew what her answer was, it had been the same answer from the day she found out Seth was - _well_, from the day Seth was _declared _deceased.

She knew that if she ever had a chance to take it back, she would. She'd prayed, begged and screamed for it not to be true, for him to still be alive, waiting for her to rescue him, waiting for her to scoop him up in her arms and protect him from the big bad world like she'd always done.

It used to amaze Harry how Leah primarily took on the male role of being Seth's older sibling. When Seth cried Leah was there to make it right, when he was hurt - Leah made it better, when Seth was being picked on in school - Leah made sure that everyone knew who he was and that he was _with _her. She protected Seth more than she ever led on and more than anyone ever thought possible. If Seth was alive, Leah would do - _was_ - going to do anything and _everything _to get him back.

She had no choice but to make a deal with Jacob Black. From what she knew, what she read about him in his file, he was the ultimate deceiver. He could lie his way into the White House and probably into the first ladies bed. He was specialised in close to every weapon, mode of transport and kill tactic ever taught by the American Government. He was designed by them, and for them - the ultimate killing machine wrapped in human flesh. She wanted to beat his head into the table and make him tell her where Seth was but she knew that would be of no use. If Jacob could hold out for years not talking, for months being tortured, then he could hold out for a few days.

A surge of low static blurred through the small radio, snapping her out of her thoughts and making her straighten her back. "Ma'am, you should be getting inside. If you're late Officer Uley might be suspicious, and to be quite frank, he could have someone watching the place as we speak" Carter Lawrence whispered over the walkie talkie.

Pursing her lips, she re-tied her hair and snatched up the talkie, pressing down hard on the receiver button. "Anything happens Carter, I need you to get Morgan out of the building and away from here. I don't care if you have to lock, stock and blow your way through, okay? I don't know if Sam is armed or not."

"Ma-am, I've never had to use my weapon and I hope to not use it tonight" Carter replied slowly.

Leah took a deep breath, calming herself before she replied. She could hear the fear echoing through the talkie and she wanted nothing more than to have taken Mark with her instead. At least Mark had actual field training for these kinds of situations and the guy could talk himself out of a hostage situation, whereas Carter was a just an infant, a cub.

"Look Carter. I need you to have my back okay? I need to know that if Sam tries to endanger Morgan's life and I am already dead, that you can shoot him. I need to know that you can kill him."

"Leah-" He sighed, the tension and nervousness high in his voice. "I'll do what I can, just please try and not - provoke - him?"

Reaching up and grabbing the rear view mirror, she checked herself over, while looking Carter dead in the eye in the reflection. Even being 4 or 5 car lengths behind her, she knew Carter would be able to see her face as the darkness began creeping in and surrounding them both.

"Kill him Carter. Don't hesitate, don't blink. The moment you look away Sam will have you. He's extremely strong, his right hand being the strongest. He has a not so good left knee and he is fucking fast for his size. Now, the plan is to do the parent teacher conference, but once we come out of the building, I am going to grab at Morgan and have her follow me. No one can see or be a witness Carter. He can't know you are here." She explained, clipping a small microphone to her shirt, hidden well as a pin badge.

"Do I look okay?" She breathed tucking the fallen sides of her fringe to behind her ear, talking more to herself than anyone. "Right" She nodded bending the mirror away from her and stepping through the car door.  
She would deal with all the betrayal and hurt once she got her niece. It was still so strange to think that Sam was not at all the person who he said he was. Was his family - his mother - actually related to him, or where they merely puppets in his fucked up game? Did Sam really love her hair as much as he said he loved her? Did he even harbour any feelings for her or was she just a means to an end? Did he like to sit up and watch TV with her, eat cereal at night, make love in the rain, or was it all a scam? A scam to dig his way, like a weasel through dirt into her heart.

Stepping through the large wooden doors of the school she felt a chill run up her spine. The school hallway leading to the office was dim, not like the usual bright and sunny hallway she was used to when she dropped Morgan at school. It held an eerie feeling and she had to figure out a way to shake the emotions before she was confronted with Sam.

The sounds of her shoes echoed in the empty hall as she slipped down aisle block yellow where all the teacher offices were held. There was always something she hated about schools, something about the way they smelled, like cleaning products and old books. This school was in particular the worst she'd ever come across. The library was it's focal point and the selling angle that was used for parents, with it's 200 year old literature and old English press articles from the turn of the century. Saint Elizabeth's was one of the oldest running all girl schools in San Francisco and prided itself on being the highest ranked private school that fed students into prestigious colleges. Their statistics were out of this world and even Leah couldn't deny that Morgan's school was important and that she would get the best.

Stopping in front of Morgan's teacher's door, she rested her hand lightly on the knob. She could already hear the low sounds of voices behind the ice frosted glass and pine door. Sam was speaking to Morgan's teach Mrs. Barnes about the new school year that was coming up and what the options were regarding Morgan's behaviour and the particular situation of Morgan's future schooling.

"Mr Uley, we firmly believe here at Saint Elizabeth's that your daughter Morgan would be better suited in a more - supervised - environment. While her grades seem to be slowly improving from what they were when she arrived, her behaviour seems to be falling. Her outbursts are distracting the other students from learning and we would suggest that in Morgan's case, one of Harper Downs Specialist Schools would be more suited."

Leah rolled her eyes as Mrs. Barnes ranted on about the difference in schooling before Sam cut her off.

"Actually I do agree with you, though the subject seems to be awfully fragile with my fiancée, but given time I am sure I can warm her up to the idea. We are actually planning on moving across to Chicago and as you mentioned, Harper Downs does have other annexes where we could enroll Morgan."

Leah growled softly at Sam's bullshit lies. There had never been any mention of a move, and now that she found out who he really was, neither she nor Morgan were moving anywhere with him. He'd be lucky if he ever saw her again.

Though she wasn't Army personnel anymore she still had friends in high places and of much more useful friends in very _very_ low places. If she truly wanted to she could disappear, take Morgan and never be found again. She had already begun the motions of contacting the right people to obtain passports, plus she'd always wanted to move to a place with a different climate. South America, Europe - she wasn't sure. The only thing she was sure of is that Sam Uley was a traitorous and cunning bastard, and he would be sorry for the day he ever thought he could deceive her.

Turning the knob slowly she pushed open the door and walked in the room replacing the scowl with a sweet smile.

"Oh Ms. Clearwater, what a nice surprise you could join us. Samuel here wasn't sure if you'd make it on time" Mrs Barnes said coyly, her fake smile plastered on her red lips.

"Always a pleasure Kate" She said sarcastically, swinging the door shut. Leah had always had an inkling about Kate Barnes, there was just something about the woman that rubbed her the wrong way. Maybe it was the way the blonde teacher would smile sweetly at Sam or accidentally brush up against him, though not that she cared now. The bitch could have him.

"Leah honey, I thought you were going to be longer" Sam smiled and stood to pull out a chair for her.

Brushing Sam off, Leah walked to the edge of the room where Morgan sat. Her ears were plugged with tiny pink earphones and Leah could hear the music blaring through the I-Pod from at least 2 meters away.

Tapping Morgan's leg lightly she sat as Morgan made room for her, who automatically leaned her head on Leah's shoulder. Hugging the little girls shoulder's quickly she allowed a quick kiss to the forehead before motioning for Morgan to take the earphones out.

"Hey Aunty Lee" Morgan sighed, pulling the white cord through her fingers and placing it on her lap.

"Hey baby, you okay?"

"Yeah, just listening to some of Daddy's music" Morgan motioned by holding up the I-Pod.

Leah smiled thinking about how much Morgan wanted to know about her father and how she had her put all of Seth's favourite songs on the music device for her. Morgan always said that listening to it felt like her dad was there with her somehow and that he was listening right along with her. "Okay" Leah nodded. "Put 'em back in" She whispered close to Morgan's ear, watching as her niece placed them in her ears before she began talking.

"So Leah, I was just telling Sam here how important it would be for Morgan to attend-"

Leah cut Mrs. Barnes off quickly by raising her hand. "I heard what you said _Kate_" She said making sure to spit the teachers name in disgust. "And I also heard about our move to Chicago" She sneered, turning to Sam and glaring at him.

"Lee-Lee I was going to talk to you about that once you got home. Business is doing well here now so my father has requested that a new branch open up in Chicago. He is giving me the chance to run my own headquarters."

"I see" Leah seethed wanting only just to rip Sam's head from his shoulders and toss it across the room. "Well unfortunately _Sam_, I refuse to uproot Morgan from San Fran. My mother is here and I am going to be extremely busy in the next couple of months with work."

"What do you mean busy? Baby you can open up your own fly school in Chicago and I'd be more than happy to provide the financial support you need to start up the business" Sam said solemnly, his eyes shifting towards Morgan for only the briefest of seconds. "And if Morgan doesn't want to leave, I'm sure your mother wouldn't mind having her until we settle in and get married."

Leah glared at Sam before sucking her teeth. "Actually, I was thinking about re-joining the Army" She said lying through her teeth. She needed to make Sam feel on edge and that she didn't actually know who he was and what he was up to. Her suggesting going back to the forces would do just that.

"_What_?" Sam's voice boomed, even making the teacher flinch. Leah watched as he collected himself quickly and straightened out his tie. "Well, this of course is a discussion for the privacy of our own home, don't you think?"

"Sure" She spat, giving the teacher a once over. "Well it's been lovely chatting to you all tonight, but my 6 year old needs to be fed and needs her sleep. My mother wanted to take Morgan and myself out to dinner." Another lie, but Leah needed an excuse to leave and get away from Sam as soon as possible. She'd learnt over the years that the longer one stayed immobile the more hostile the situation became.

"Well, I am sure that we are done here?" Sam asked looking towards the teacher who was sitting wide eyed and just nodded. "Let's go."

"Actually Sam, the dinner is just for us. A girl's night" Leah said crossing her arms making sure to stand in between him and Morgan.

"A girl's night?" Sam said suspiciously, before sparing a glance at Mrs. Barnes who was listening to their conversation. "Of course, perhaps I'll catch up with my reading" He answered nodding his head and smiling at the teacher.

_Such a sly fucker_ Leah thought as she reached out her hand for Morgan to take.

* * *

It wasn't until Leah ushered Morgan in the car and she walked around to the driver's side that she noticed the look on Sam's face. It was like the cogs in his brain were spinning and he suddenly had a burst of realisation course through him.

Reaching for the handle, Sam quickly covered his hand over hers stopping her from getting in the car. "Is something wrong Leah?" He asked raising an eyebrow and looking over her.

"No. Why would anything be wrong?" She growled wrapping her fingers around the handle and attempting to pull at it, only to have Sam re-close the door again.

"You're hiding something from me Leah" He whispered in her ear, his breath fanning across her neck making the hairs there stand to attention.

"I'm not hiding shit, now move" She attempting again only to be pinned between the length of both his arms.

"You're lying to me... again" He growled, grasping her elbow and spinning her around. His eyes were boring into her own as they search her face trying to detect any trace elements of un-truthfulness. But it wasn't until his eyes dropped to the small pin she had clipped to her shirt that her body tensed. "Nice _pin_" He spat, his eyes flicking back up to her face revealing his lack of satisfaction with her.

"My mother gave it to me" She said trying to keep her voice at a monotone level.

"Funny-" He stated running his fingers around it before snatching it off her shirt. "You didn't leave with it the other day"

She watched as his large hand crushed the small novelty pin in his palm and discarded it on the ground. Grabbing her face in his large hand his eyes slowly turned to slits.

"You know" He stated, forming it as more of an answer than a question.

"You think I wouldn't find out sooner or later?" She spat pushing at his shoulder's to make him back off her a little. She knew she was good with hand to hand combat, put being confined to such a small space gave her the less of the advantage. "Look whatever Sam, I don't know what your fucking deal is but I want you to know that it no longer includes me and Morgan"

Sam knowingly took a step back and chuckled, shaking his head and crossing his arms. "You think you can leave, you think you can leave _me_?" A asked mockingly, the face of _her_ Sam slipping off to be replaced by a Sam she knew nothing about. "You don't leave me Leah. No one leaves me. I tell you when you leave and you aren't going any-fucking-where."

"You think you can stop me?" She asked seriously, watching as his pulse slowly started to increase on his neck and his hands balled into fists. "I know about your mission Sam. I know you were sent in to watch me and Morgan. I know what you are."

"And what do you think that is Lee-Lee darling?" He asked smugly.

"I know you're a fucking traitor Sam. You betrayed me. You used me as a pawn to complete your fucking mission. I was only ever a target to you, I was never someone you loved."

Snatching her face up quickly Sam pinned her to the car while his fingers dug into her cheeks. "You don't know anything Clearwater. You think that your innocent in this game well you're wrong. I know you Lee-Lee, I know everything about you. You think you can run from me? I have eyes everywhere Leah, eyes that will bleed until they find you." He hissed softly staring straight into her chocolate orbs.

"Fuck you Sam" She snarled, baring her teeth as he pressed further against her face with his large palm, his fingers digging into the softness of her flesh.

Leaning down Sam whispered slowly and seductively in her ear. "You already have baby. You've fucked me three ways from Sunday and I _still_ can't get enough."

Shoving a forearm against his chest, Leah huffed out a breath as he countered her move by pinning her arms into the car. Peeking over her shoulder he noticed that Morgan still had her headphones in and was not aware of what they were doing outside the car. Smiling, he pressed his erection into her stomach and began to grind on her. "You feel that Leah, it's all for you. It's always been for you. It was me that suggested that I get closer to you, lie in your bed, become your husband. How I love my women when they're angry" He whispered licking her earlobe into his mouth.

"Urgh, you dirty fucker" Leah hissed pushing against him with her body to try and dislodge her hands from his grip. "Get the fuck off me!"

"Has Black told you where he is?" Sam snarled pressing his hips tighter against her body.

"I don't know what the fuck you're talking about asshole" She spat, attempting to bring her knee up and crown the family jewels.

"Uh-uh" He whispered, pinning her thigh by digging his own into her leg. "Please stop lying to me Leah. This would all go so much easier if you didn't fight me."

"Blow me motherfucker" She growled trying to take a bite out of his face.

Tsking at her Sam looked back into her eyes and glared. "Give me the location of your brother and I'll let you go."

"My brother is in the same place I visit him every Saturday cocksucker."

"Stop lying to me" He cried out of frustration squeezing her face harder in between his fingers. "Give me one good reason I shouldn't kill you right now where you stand" He growled.

"Because you have a gun to your head" Carter's voice announced holding his glock in his hands.

Sam paid no attention to Carter and opted to pull Leah back off the car and slam her against it. "Tell me where he is!"

"Samuel Uley I am ordering you to step away from Ms Clearwater!" Carter shouted as his finger slipped towards the trigger.

Still ignoring the other officer Sam squeezed harder on the hold he had on her wrist. "You brought a rookie with you?" He sniggered shaking his head. "I thought you would have at least brought Mark Stone."

"GET OFF THE LADY!" Carter's voice boomed, "I will shoot you if you do not move _right_ now!"

"Pity" Sam sighed "I was hoping you brought Mark, the fucker owes me 100 bucks."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Leah breathed out her face feeling like it was on fire against his skin.

Sam chuckled again "Oh - you didn't read the rest of the file? Here let me tell you what else it says. No, actually I want you to guess what it says. Who is my superior officer Leah?" He smiled, his teeth shinning even in the dark.

"How the fuck should I know Uley!" She spat.

"I'll give you a clue"

"Step away _now _Sir" Carter hissed cocking his gun and pointing it at Sam's head.

"Why the hell would I give a shit who your superior is Sam?"

"So a clue then?" Leaning forward he whispered in her ear. "He shared a bed with you Leah. He also tells me how you liked to be fucked on bunks. How tight you were, how fucking sexy you were-"

Leah's eyes narrowed before she realised who he was talking about. Never in her life could she imagine that she was being pulled by so many people. People who she thought truly cared for her at one point or another. "_You liar_" She screeched struggling even harder this time.

"Why would I lie to you Leah?" Sam asked with a cocked eye brow.

"Back it up buddy" Carter growled at Sam with his weapon aimed making sure he had a consistant shot.

"Next time you see Mark tell him I said 'hi'" He smirked cockily making Leah want to punch him in his gorgeous face.

"Oh I will" Leah growled wrestling one of her hands free and punching him square in the jaw. His face whipped in the direction her fist was following but his body didn't even budge. Before she had time to throw another punch Sam's body was pulled off of her and thrown to the ground. Carter was literally shaking and his jaw was tensing, his anger shining bright through his eyes. Sam lay for a moment before a deep growl resonated from his chest.

"You little punk" Sam hissed attempting to get to his feet. Leah acted quickly knowing that once Sam got his hands on Carter it would be a fight to the death and she knew from personal experience that Sam hated losing. Pulling back her boot she stepped forward and watched as it loudly connected with Sam's head, immediately immobilising him. His body slumped horribly to the ground and Leah could tell that his breaths were now shallow.

"Thanks kid" Leah grumbled snatching the gun away from Carter and placing the safety back on. "But next time when you warn someone and they don't listen, take them down the first time" She scolded and slipped the gun into the back of her pants.

"You think it's true?" Carter asked looking over her with a worried expression. "You think Mark knew about Sam?"

"I don't know" She mumbled as she patted down Sam's body and retrieved his car keys, phone and wallet. "All I know is there are only two people I trust right now. You - and Jacob Black."

"Grab his arms will you?" She instructed as she attempted to pick up Sam's legs.

"What are we doing?" Carter huffed grabbing the Officer's arms and dragging him across the car park.

"We are just making sure Sam doesn't tell anyone what we know before we get back to the prison" She breathed heavily lugging the dead weight of her ex-fiancée toward his car. Fishing for the keys she'd retrieved from Sam's pocket, Leah pressed down firmly on the boot key, watching as the truck slowly rose.

* * *

"Auntie Lee where is Uncle Sam?" Morgan asked as they drove down a dark road she'd never been on before. There were only street lights every 500 meters and the road seemed deserted. She could see the long paddocks that stretched out on the side of the road and she slowly turned to her Aunt for an answer letting the earphones fall into her lap.

"He's - gone home to bed. He was really tired and pretty much fell asleep at your school" Leah smiled only sparing a glance to Morgan while she kept her eyes on the road. After locking Sam in the trunk of his car she smashed his phone under her boot and stopped on the way to pull out as much money as she could from his bank accounts. She'd definitely need money to run, but money wasn't to only thing that was on her mind. Looking over at Morgan again she sighed, she wasn't sure if she was doing the right thing, taking the chance and putting her niece in danger. The option of leaving her with her mother was a dead end. Sam knew where Sue lived, where she shopped, who her friends were and she would not put her mother in danger.

She'd had Carter collect Sue immediately and take her to a location where Leah still had contacts that would take her mother in. She'd once been promised that anything she needed would be hers. Leah knew the 'family' that was indebted to her didn't have much but at least they could afford her mother food and shelter for the time being. The biggest reason for sending Sue there was that Sam knew nothing about the family, he knew nothing about the reason they were willing to do anything they could to repay her and she was glad that she had never told him about the 'Swan' family.

"I'm sorry if I made you and Uncle Sam fight. I didn't mean to upset Mrs. Barnes, but Frankie was telling everyone that his father thought everyone who was in the Army were sissies. When I told him to shut up and that my dad wasn't he laughed in my face and said daddy died because he wasn't as good as his dad." Morgan said sadly, a stray tear escaping her eye and falling into her lap.

Reaching over Leah rubbed her hand over Morgan's sandy brown hair and sighed. "Honey, Frankie is a little smack talking fucker that needs his balls chopped off."

Morgan burst out in giggles and covered her face which was heating up. "Auntie Lee, that is so gross" She whined, still unable to hold back the giggles.

"Well it's true. Your daddy was one of the bravest people ever. He made everyone around him feel so safe. He was the best man I have ever known, he was my best friend and I _still_ love him very much" Leah sighed letting her hand rest on Morgan's shoulder. "Your dad loved you very much and he would be very proud of you Morgan so don't you ever forget it okay?"

"I won't" The small girl sniffled before putting her earphones back in.

Hearing the chime of her cell, Leah pulled the phone from her pocket and flipped it open without looking at the number. "Carter?"

"No Leah it's me" Mark's voice sounded through the phone. "Why in the hell would Carter be calling you? And where did that solider get to?" He sounded a slight bit anxious or impatient as he waited for a reply.

"I had him check out a few leads for me" Leah said, swallowing the dry lump she felt in her throat.

"What kind of leads?" Mark asked, the noises in the background sounding like paper was being shuffled around.

Leah tapped on the steering wheel with her index finger as she spoke "I need to speak with some of the soldiers that where out in that gunfire. I was having Carter find where they are stationed and for them to contact me. I am getting conflicting stories from the reports and I wanted to see if they could remember anything further."

"Right" Mark drawled, suspicion lacing his words quite clearly. "Well if you hear from him please tell him that I need to speak to him urgently. We seem to have had a breach in our national defense system and some encrypted files were downloaded this morning."

"Oh really?" Leah asked playing out what she already knew. Of course Sam's file would be encrypted though she was hoping it would take more time for them to try to figure out who was connected to the breach in information. "I'll be sure to let him know Mark, look, I gotta go alright?"

"Are you coming back to the hotel or will you meet me in the morning?" He asked as the sounds of locks echoed through the cell phone.

"Actually how about we go for dinner somewhere? I'll be back there in about 2 hours and I would love it if we could catch up - you know, like old times?" She said sweetly making herself want to gag. She was only 10 minutes away from the prison but she needed time to do what she was about to do.

A satisfied humming noise that Mark made rang softly in her ear. "Oh - _well_" He said smugly and she could even picture his smug grin stretch across his face as he spoke. "Of course Clearwater. Say around 9:30?"

"It's a date."

"Well I sure hope it is" He chuckled, his voice almost dripping with honey. "I'll see you then Leah" He replied after a few moments.

"That you will" Leah answered again in a petite voice using the one thing Mark wanted more than anything.

She wasn't blind and she knew how Mark stole glances her way when she'd be tying her boot or adjusting something in her backpack. She was using her body to get what she wanted. And with the promise of Mark having it as he once had, the lapse in time would give her what _she _needed most. He'd probably figure out once he went to the hotel room to get her for dinner and she wasn't present that something was up.

But two hours was exactly enough time to get into the prison - and get Jacob out.

_Hopefully_.

* * *

AN- Once again thank you to my lovely Beta 'hgmsnoopy' who so kindly looked over this mess for me :) I hope the Chicago Bears tore it up for you and that you had an amazing day!


	7. The Lioness and an Old friend

**I do not own Twilight**

* * *

San Quentin State Prison

_San Francisco Bay Area, CA_

…

1955 hours

…

Hurrying down the dark tunnel tugging along Morgan by her hand Leah flashed her ID at the guard who ushered her inside before locking the doors by sliding across the metal barred lock.

"A little late isn't it Miss?" The guard questioned glancing from Leah to Morgan with a suspicious eye. "You know, we don't usually allow children into the prison. Clearance or _no _clearance."

Glancing down at the guards name badge Leah narrowed her eyes and shot him a death glare. "Mulligan. It's in your best interest and in the interest of your children that you go back behind your desk and forget I was ever here."

"Excuse me?" He asked puffing out his chest and balling his fists. He couldn't believe this woman was speaking to him like he was nothing.

"You heard me. Now, if you don't sit down on your chair I am going to arrest you for antagonising a military official and I will also have you thrown in the hole for disobeying a direct order. Under the president's permission, my colleagues and I were given full privileges and access to the prison at _all _times. As I see it, by questioning _me _you are indirectly disturbing an investigation by the country in regards to terrorism. I could have you locked in a room for 30 days without a valid reason under the Homeland Security guidelines. Would you like to spend a month in _here_? With all of your friends?" Leah growled.

"You can't do that!" The guard exclaimed, half-heartedly knowing that she was probably correct. "It's not right" He said his tone dying down and his words stilling in his throat.

"My job isn't to make the rules but merely abide and enforce them. So in the interest of the country I dare you to try me" She hissed, watching as he slowly nodded his head and backed away with his hands raised showing her signals of his submission.

"Like you were never here" He replied handing her a scan entry card that would get her through every electric door in the prison. The warden was the only permanent holder of a card, and at present Mark Stone who was leading the investigation.

"Thank you. Have a good day" Leah called back already heading down the hall with Morgan trailing behind her.

"Why are we here Aunt Lee?" Morgan asked as she glanced around noticing nothing but bricks and doors with tiny windows in the white wood.

"We are picking up my friend okay? But we have to be quiet." Leah explained placing her index finger to her lips and scanning the card down the first electronic locked door.

"Why?" Morgan quizzed in a hushed tone as she cocked her head to the side and looked over her aunt. Her Aunt Leah was never in a rush or worried but now she looked like she could really use a cup of cocoa and a nice fluffy pillow.

Stopping quickly in the hall Leah got down on one knee and held Morgan's small hands in her own. "We are going to take him to see his dad, but we have to keep it a secret okay? It's a surprise."

"Like a surprise party?" Morgan asked her eyes widening a little in anticipation.

"Sure. Like a surprise party" Leah nodded picking off a little piece of cotton stuck to the arm hem of her niece's shirt.

"What's his name?"

"The guard?"

"No" Morgan chuckled shaking her head. "Your friend."

"His name is Jacob Black. You don't have to speak to him if you don't want to okay?" Leah whispered knowing that Morgan wasn't openly comfortable with new people especially men. Leah had been lucky that Sam had been around since Morgan was little otherwise she wouldn't have gone anywhere with him. "Damn it" She whispered, popping her legs back to a standing position and taking Morgan's hand once again. She knew Sam wouldn't be unconscious forever and just based on his body mass and pure strength it wouldn't take him long to get out of the boot of his car.

"What is it Aunt Lee?"

"I - I forgot to hang out the washing" She replied to her niece as she scanned the second door. "Morgan listen to me. No more talking from now on okay? You have to listen to everything I say. If I tell you to hide you do that. If I tell you to jump you have to do that as well alright?"

"Hmm" Morgan answered nodding her head excitedly while zipping her lips and throwing away the imaginary key.

"Good girl" Leah whispered kissing her quickly on the forehead and standing to scan the next door.

Walking down the hallway Leah could feel Morgan's hand tighten around her own. It was dark and she knew that the little girl was not accustomed to the area so it was normal to feel some type of dread. Swiftly making each step of her long legs count she let her hand drag across the wall. Her fingertips could make out the indentation of each door and she counted along with each of the double enforced steel doors in her head. Jacob had been kept in the lower cells which was perfect. There were hardly ever any other prisoners in D block as most only stayed for a period of two weeks. D Block was an interim for prisoners who went from the land of the living to the dead. The block had held over 300 people in the last 60 years of its operation and Leah was going to make sure Jacob wasn't going down on that list.

* * *

Mark knocked liberally on the motel room door across from his own. It was nine thirty and he was ready to take Leah out to grab a bite to eat with hopes of the evening progressing further. Pulling at the collar of his shirt he flipped the material and reset it again using his fingers in an attempt to iron out any creases.

Their fling hadn't lasted long but even just the briefest memories of their nights together sent him spiraling back to the Fort they both served. Out of all the women he had ever met Leah Clearwater was the only one who didn't care for status but rather saw through him like he was a clear wall. She'd always been one step ahead of his game and while he tried desperately to tame the only woman who he had ever loved he knew it was a lost cause.

Taming a woman like Leah would be like taming a blood thirsty wild cat: the lioness of the pack. Trying to hold a reign over her would be like trying to control the ocean with its unpredictable waves and its incessant repelling as it tore towards the rocks smashing and breaking upon them then only to be drawn back out to sea and have it start all over again.

_Flashback_

Leah moaned as Mark pushed himself inside her. He was so big, so fucking filling that she never wanted him to pull out and just be inside her forever. The desk was digging into her ass and she was sure there was a stapler or something under her back, but she didn't care.

"Oh fuck" Mark groaned, thrusting forward, using the table to brace himself off Leah so he wouldn't crush her. It felt so tight, her pussy wrapped around his cock, her legs hitched around his waist, her nails clawing at his chest and back.

"Kiss me" Leah whispered pulling his face so close to hers she could feel the pockets of air he was blowing out, his heat driving her insane.

Mark groaned before placing his lips lightly over hers, his hands moving firmly to her hips, edging her back as he pushed forward. His hips were slamming into hers, but he made sure his lips were only just brushing hers, driving her crazy.

"Mark, Mar – oh-" She cried against his lips, their breath exchanging as if they were sucking in oxygen. "Fuck!" She cried out, pulling his head down to her neck and she arched her back.

Hungrily devouring her neck, Mark nipped and sucked along her pulse point which was throbbing under his mouth. His body was buzzing out of pure bliss being connected so closely with her. He was so excited he had to think about other things, not wanting the sensation to be over so soon.

Leah arched her back much like a cat, before slumping back into the desk. Her whole body was quaking and shivering under his as he continued to suck behind her ear, his warm mouth driving her body to a heightened state, her body frazzled and in a frenzy wanting everything he could give.

Giving a deep appreciative growl Mark flipped her over so her breasts were mashed against the cold wood of his office desk, never once allowing his cock to slip from her silk pocketed pussy. Holding firmly on to her hips he rocked back and forth allowing the head of his cock at all times to stay buried inside her warmth. Leaning down to cover her body with his, he bit down on her shoulder blade and shivered with her as he heard the gasp and sharp intake of air seep from her lips.

Leaning down and placing his lips on her ear he spoke huskily making her almost climax again around his arousal. "Hmm-" Mark hummed as the grip his hands had on her waist tightened allowing himself to pick up his motions and set the pace as he seemed fit. "God Leah - you have - no idea... how much I need you" He groaned as his tongue lovingly lapped at the outer shell of her ear.

"Urggh" Leah gurgled as a reply, not really being able to form a complete sentence. His body was crushing hers further into the desk as he rode her wildly, though taking his time to make sure she felt every ribbed area of his painfully hard cock.

"Tell me you want me" Mark moaned as he startled her by slapping hard against the cheek of her ass before rubbing out the throbbing pain and red hand print he'd left on her skin. "Tell me just how much you need me to be inside you."

"Oh Fuck!" Leah cried out as she pussy clamped down once again. The arch in her foot flexed and the sounds of their bodies connecting was only making the orgasm ride its natural course.

"Tell me" He growled pushing his hips forcefully against hers as he felt his cock engorge and recognised its imminent release.

"I need you-" Leah panted, as her head slumped against the table and her eyes remained shut. "- inside me"

"Good" Mark hissed softly pulling back his hips before sheathing himself inside her once again and feeling her walls tremble around his cock as it spewed forth his hot seed. Slumping over her and not worrying that he was completely crushing her to the table he groaned and buried his nose in the crook of her neck, allowing the long dark tresses to spill over his face.

_End Flashback_

Knocking again Mark placed his ear to the door and tried to hear for any movement. He was certain Leah had indicated at 2130 hours she would be ready and they would get a bite to eat. His eyebrows furrow as he reached for the cell phone that was hurriedly buzzing in his pocket. His face tensed and his right eye twitched slightly when he looked at the caller ID.

"What?" He asked in a hushed tone, turning away from Leah's door.

"The bitch fucking locked me in the boot! I am going to kill her when I find her!" Sam's voice bellowed through the receiver making him quickly snap the phone away from his ear.

"What the hell are you talking about solider?" Mark inquired glancing back at the door before leaning an open palm against it.

"Not what - _who_. Leah that bitch, she knows, she fucking knows Stone!"

"What do you mean she knows, what exactly does she know?"

"She knows who I am and she knows that we are in the same boat. She has the girl and she locked me in the fucking trunk of my car. Your little Boy Scout seems to be helping her."

"SHIT!" Mark hissed beating the bottom of his fist against the motel door. "Do you know where they are headed?"

"Of course not you fuckhead! If I knew I would already be there" Sam snarled through the phone, stomping around the area of his car.

"Calm down Uley! Get in your fucking car and go look for her she can't have gotten too far." Mark said calmly trying to get Sam to follow suit. "Call me when you find her - oh and Sam-"

"What?" Sam growled through the phone.

"She is not to be touched. I want her brought to me – alive." Before Sam could answer, he hung up the phone and turned to Leah's door. She was definitely a lioness. Glancing to both his sides Mark raised his boot to the door and kicked against it making the wood around the lock split in half and come apart. Taking another look over both his shoulder's Mark entered the room and tried to close the half beaten door behind him. Pulling his gun from the back of his pants he rotated around the room to make sure everything was clear. There had to be some kind of indication were Leah and the girl would have gotten to.

Walking over to the bed Mark picked up Leah's shirt and raised it to his nose. She'd always had a distinct smell; lilac and honey, something dewy and warm, something both mouthwatering and insatiable. Dropping the shirt to the floor he stepped over a few stacked files and reached over to the night stand and found a white blank piece of paper bar three little words on it. Smelling the paper first, he scrunched it violently in his palm and made a gurgling growl of dissatisfaction. This whole building was meant to have been watched yet somehow he had got past their surveillance to personally deliver the note.

His back tensed with pure fire as he thought about how close they had been to securing him. If they would have captured him then Leah could have gone on her way and lived her life and never found out about anything. She could have stayed out of this mess and gone on with everything. She could have stayed out of harm's way. But now it was too late. She was too far in. It had never been Mark's intention to hurt Leah in any way but now he knew it impossible to walk away unscathed.

Picking up one of the files from the floor Mark noticed a photo slip from between the papers. Grasping it he looked down at it and suddenly a light went off in his head. Bursting from the bed, he sprinted out the door already reaching for his cell. It had been obvious. Standing next to the target was Jacob Black. He was the closest out of everyone to the target and Leah must have realised that. Either that or Black had mentioned something, something his men had been trying to pick from the solider ever since he had been brought in. To call Black a brick wall was an understatement. Not once did he crumble under the questioning and not once did he move a brick. He was impenetrable - until now.

With a large grin Mark ran down to steps of the apartment complex and headed to the car. He always knew Leah was the best, and today like any other day, she had once again proved it. Hopefully by the time the prison had been locked down she would still be inside and they could take the next step in the plan. Really the plan was quite simple: a strategic game of cat and mouse; hunter vs. the hunted. Leah Clearwater would prove to be the most successful bait and Mark concluded that the little girl being with them would only be an added bonus.

The two of them would surely be enough for the target to take the bait. After all Seth Clearwater was family.

* * *

"Are you out of your mind?" Leah hissed as Jacob scooped up the little girl she had arrived with.

"Of course I am. Why in the world do you think we would be attempting this if I wasn't?" Jacob snapped back passing the girl to Leah and slamming the iron gate behind them. The red and white security lights flashed around them as the alarm rang in their ears. "Take her to the car, and then give me your clearance pass to open the electronic gate. Meet me on the far side of the perimeter.

"You better not be fucking with me Black" She growled as her footfalls increased along the ashen asphalt.

"Not yet I'm not." He grinned racing beside her and reached the car first. With a mighty whoosh he sprang open the car door and ushered both females inside. "And no I am not trying to break my end of the deal. Meet me there otherwise they will not let you out of the gates. By now they'll be doing thorough checks on all the vehicles leaving the facility. Trust me Clearwater, if you're anything like your brother, I won't even be able to give you the slip." He winked, hurriedly pulling down the seatbelt over her lap as she finished doing so for Morgan.

Leah scoffed "Trust _me _Black. If my brother can find you, I can do it with my eyes closed."

Before Jacob could retaliate with an answer the door they had burst from started to filter out guards from the prison. "Alright time to go." He grinned cupped her face roughly and kissing her quickly. "10 minutes Clearwater. If after 10 minutes I am not there - leave. Don't wait. Don't think. Just leave. There is a small fishing town 40km south east - Bayreach - If you leave without me I will meet you there in the morning. There is an old motel run by Ana Call. Tell her nothing just that you are a friend. Tell her you wish to inquire about a man from Jersey. She will know what to do and she will keep you safe."

"But-"

Jacob's eyes glanced to the guards who were now in formation, shouting orders around to find the escapee. "Go now. I will find you."

"Stay safe Jacob" Leah breathed pressing her hand against his chest.

"I will" He smiled, before darting off into the shadows. Before Leah had time to blink she couldn't see him anymore and he had disappeared totally out of sight. Sparing a look to her rear view mirror she slammed her foot down on the accelerator and gunned it to the entrance.

It didn't take long to get past the guards after announcing herself as they checked over the car tossing bags and sheets that were in the boot around to find nothing. With a scowl on his face the guard eventually opened the gates and let her through. The roads outside the prison were long and dark and she kept her window down to hear for any signs that he was in the area. Noticing that Morgan was shivering because of the cool air that was drifting into the vehicle she reached behind her seat and clonked a black backpack down on the gears.

"Honey put this on" Leah said, unzipping the bag and retrieving a black wind resistant jacket from the bag. "I also need you to put these on," She said warmly pulling with the jacket a pair of jeans and small boots. Leah had packed for any occasion as she knew that once things went south, that they would go to hell. With Morgan along she knew she had to pack for her as well and made sure to put in in non recognisable attire. It was a far cry from the purple shirt and white jeans she already had on. Leah needed Morgan to literally go un-noticed and she didn't want the eyes or passers-by or petrol station attendants to notice a little girl travelling with them. She knew that Mark and the prison would never let the media know that a prisoner had escaped and she sure as shit knew that by now Mark Stone would be on her ass.

Just thinking of Sam made a snarl rip from her throat. She wanted to slap him so hard he would be eating his teeth when he came to.

"Aunt Leah, why do I have to wear boy's clothes?" Morgan asked slipping her hands through the black jumper as Leah placed a cap on her head.

"Tie your hair up honey and tuck it under your hat." Leah said keeping her eyes glued to the dimly lit road and the dark trees as they whizzed by.

"But I am going to look like a boy. Where has your friend gone?"

"Trust me sweetie, you are too pretty to be a boy. And don't worry about Jake. He is going to meet us around here somewhere" Leah whispered back as she eased her foot off the accelerator and let the car slow down gradually. Pulling her sleeve back she looked down at her watch. There was only 3 minutes left and she wasn't even sure if she was sitting in the right area. Slowly she brought the car to a stop and left her foot pressed down on the brake. Reaching inside another bag she unbuttoned her blouse quickly and pulled on a black turtle neck sweater and tied her hair in a quick bun so it wouldn't continue to whip around her face as she drove. Glancing down at her watch Leah sighed.

"One more minute" She mumbled to herself as she looked out into the darkness. With the window down she could hear a soft humming noise. It was strange, like she'd heard it somewhere before. Slowly but surely the hum increased and turned into a rumble. Her body tensed as her mind caught up with her ears. "Son of a bitch!" She shouted slamming her hand against the wheel and pulling it hard to the left as she accelerated, maneuvering the car back onto the road and into the opposite direction.

"Sorry Jake" She breathed as her foot kept solidly against the pedal and she sped off down the road she'd come. She knew that rumbling noise from anywhere. It was the sound of a twin turbo exhaust, calibrated to exactly 100 decibels. She'd heard it countless times as it pulled into the driveway of her home as she slept or in the morning after she'd kissed Sam before he left to work. It was the sound of Sam's pride and joy and knowing how fast the car could pick up speeds, she wasn't about to stay and confirm her suspicions.

* * *

Mirabeau Motel

_Bayreach, CA_

…

2238 hours

…

By the time she reached the town and old motel Jacob had described to her Morgan was sleeping soundly, curled up on the passenger seat. Grabbing a couple of bags from the car, Leah hoisted the slender 6 year old to her chest, allowing her to continue sleeping. Morgan's warm breath on her neck made her heart break just that little bit more. She wondered how her brother felt, all this time, not being the one to be with his daughter, protecting her as she was now doing. She wondered if he suffered just as much as she had. In reality the news of Seth's death had rocked the foundations of not only her world but of her family's world. Her mother was distraught, Seth's partner soon crumbled and his daughter - well - Morgan tried to forget as much as she tried to remember. Leah found it amazing how a child's mind could recall such early moments. How in the brink of true sorrow, you could still hear a parent's voice or feel their presence in a room.

Walking in to the small office, Leah rang the small silver bell on the counter. Letting the bags drop from her shoulder, she hoisted Morgan up a little as she felt her start to slip. Within moments an elderly woman, not more than 60 walked out from behind a door that had wooden beads hanging in its way.

"Hello there" The woman said, offering Leah a small smile. "How can I help you this evening? A little late to be on a road trip isn't it?" The woman's eyes drifted from Leah's to the sleeping child in her arms.

"I am here to inquire about a man from Jersey" Leah stated slowly as to gauge the reaction from the woman.

The woman's eyes seemed to widen a little before a mask was placed back over her emotions. "Are you sure you are not looking for a man from Idaho?" The older woman inquired back.

"No. It was definitely Jersey" Leah mumbled as she turned her body a little to watch the door.

"Of course" The older woman then offered a warm smile and stepped around the counter. "Come with me." Picking up Leah's bags the woman walked back around the counter and disappeared behind the wooden beads. Hesitating only for a minute Leah shuffled Morgan again and followed her.

They walked in silence for 10 minutes as they located a room. It was at the far end of the complex and if Leah hadn't been shown it, she would not have noticed it all the way back there. The woman retrieved an old key from around her neck which had been tied there by a twine of black leather.

"You know" The woman said, slipping the key into the door and stepping inside the room. "This is the first time anyone has ever inquired about Jersey."

Leah stepped inside the room laying Morgan on one of the double beds and placed a blanket over her small body. "I was told you would help us" Leah sighed turning back to the old woman and taking the bags from her hands.

"And I will do exactly that. Though I do have one question for you, if you don't mind?" She asked as her demeanour quickly changed into that of a nervous one.

"Sure" Leah replied as she tossed the bags on to the other free bed.

"Are you willing to know the truth whether it be good or bad?"

"What exactly are we talking about here?" Leah answered with a question of her own.

"Answering a question with another question. You truly are your father's daughter" The woman smiled as she headed to the door to retrieve the key.

"You know who I am?" Leah asked, narrowing her eyes at the woman and glancing at the door, which had become common place.

"Of course I do Leah. Your father and I once - we were friends once." The look on her face softened as she spoke of Leah's father, causing Leah's interest to spike considerably. Questions of who this woman was and how she knew her father swirled in her mind.

"I take it you knew my mother as well then?" Leah snapped, trying to bite back the large amount of bitterness in her voice, though failing miserably.

"Of course. But I knew your father long before your mother was ever Harry's wife. We worked together a long time ago. Sometimes I think to myself whether it was all just a dream. And then I wake up in the mornings and look at myself in the mirror. I looked at how I have aged, I look at the pictures of my grandchildren and I realise. I realise that sometimes no matter what we do, the past will always follow us. But you have to decide whether to use the past as a stepping stone to your future or continue to let it haunt you." The woman spoke slowly; the amount of emotion flickering through her eyes was not lost, especially not on Leah. "I will leave you two to rest. If you need anything, pick up the receiver and dial 3. Breakfast is at 7 in the dining hall; bring the little one as I will make sure to cook pancakes."

Leah paused for a second wanting to go back to the conversation they were having but merely nodded. "Thank you."

"Always a pleasure, dear" She smiled, closing the door softly behind her and no doubt walking back to the main office area.

Leah huffed out a breath and let her head fall against the softness of the pillows. Closing her eyes, she rubbed her face before opening them again. Speaking to the woman outlined one of two things. This woman, Ana Call, knew way too much about her and she had been totally and undeniably in love - with her father.

* * *

AN: Thank you again to my beautiful Beta who picks up on words that only Aussie's use... Whoops! Anyway, some of you might be thinking... jeez, Jacob seems to be lip locking with Leah alot. Don't worry, Leah isn't sure if she is comfortable with it or not and she will definetly bring it up in the next chapter! Happy Valentines Day to all my beautiful readers!


	8. Rhythm of the heart and History

**I do not own Twilight**

* * *

Mirabeau Motel

_Bayreach, CA_

…

0300 hours

…

Leah tossed and turned in the bed. She'd been drifting in and out of sleep for the past two hours and listening for a light knock indicating Jacob had arrived, and she was on edge. It was like watching a glass that was half hanging over the edge of a table and waiting for it to fall from the slightest amount of breeze or even a shaky breath. She was anxious, sleep-deprived and couldn't quell the questions that were still swirling in her mind. There were so many unanswered questions and she knew that Jacob could answer at least half of those questions for her.

Turning over she huffed out a breath before her body froze. Hearing a slight shuffle near the foot of the bed she kept her eyes closed and her breathing pattern even. She couldn't be sure if anything or anyone was there but she wasn't keen to find out. Morgan was beside her and the girl would definitely be in harms way if she was to make any sudden movements or wake up. Surely Sam hadn't already found her and got into the motel room undetected. After reading Sam's file she was more than certain it couldn't be him. While yes he had been trained in espionage, he was not a 'sleeper.' He was too big and bulky to be so quiet on his feet, his patented movements too large for him to pull off getting into a room where she'd laid booby traps.

Sliding her hand slowly up the bedding, she slipped her fingers under the pillow and grasped for the gun she had taken from Carter and left in the car for a situation like this. If it was Sam she had little hope in fighting him off. Before she had finally lay down to sleep she made sure that the room was secure. The back of a chair had been pressed up under the front door knob to jam it shut. She'd checked the few windows in the room and placed glass items above the ledge so that if a window was shimmied open the glass would smash and wake her.

Curling her fingers around the cold butt of the gun she gently rolled the safety off with her thumb and cracked her eyes open, barely enough for her to look around in the dark. Shifting her shoulders she unraveled the sheet against her feet and took a sleepy like breath, seeming as though she was just shuffling in her sleep.

Kicking the sheet up quickly, she sat upright and pointed the gun towards the end of the bed, swiveling ever so slightly allowing the gun to follow her line of sight. Within the blink of an eye she felt the gun being dislodged out of her grip and a huge hand cover her mouth, pinning her back onto the bed. The body over hers was warm and heavy, the scent of man sharply reaching her nostrils.

Clawing at the palm over her face that was stopping her from screaming, she brought her leg up and jammed it against her attacker's body, hooking it tightly and using all her weight to flip the person. Both went tumbling off of the bed and hit the carpeted ground hard, landing Leah on her ass in a sitting position and whoever else it was on their back. Before she could get a grip on the offender she heard his light chuckle as his hands started to unwrap her legs from around his torso.

Seeing red Leah rolled away from him into a standing position and flicked the lamp light on, glaring at his big goofy grin which she planned on slapping the shit out of. "What the _fuck _Black?" she hissed quietly as she stepped forward and poked against his chest with a finger as he retrieved himself from the floor and dusted off his clothing. "What the hell was that? You ever heard of knocking?" she berated angrily. She was angry that he hadn't announced himself and even angrier that he had managed to get into the room without a noise. She didn't like to think that she was getting rusty in a game she was born to play, a game she'd spent most of her life perfecting.

Taking hold of the finger that was attacking him, Jacob grasped it and placed the whole of her palm at the back of his neck. Smiling he stepped forward and did the same with the other before placing his large palms on her hips and pulling her close. "You're very beautiful when you're angry, perhaps even more than when you aren't." He smiled, tucking his hands under the hem of her shirt and holding on to the small of her back. "I've never known a woman to be able to flip me on my ass."

Before he could continue Leah snorted. "Well maybe I could teach you a few things then," she stated. "When I was still flying with the 'Hell Cats,' I trained most of the rookies in self defense while McGregor and Jones took them on field assignments and airborne tactics. I had to show all of them no matter what their size, that there were always ways to out maneuver an attacker. It's easy when you're in the air, behind the wheel of a fighter jet. But in the rare case where you are taken by hostiles, they needed to be able to hold their own."

"Well Ms. Clearwater, I look forward to having you train me one day - perhaps one on one?" he whispered huskily as his fingers dabbled on her back. His hands were rough, but they seemed like they were leaving smooth trails of fire in their wake as he dragged them back and forth, up and down.

"In your dreams, Black." Instead of moving out of the embrace, Leah found herself leaning into him more and sighing with him.

"What marvelous dreams they are…" Leah rolled her eyes and followed Jacob's lead as he began to rock her. "Dance with me," he whispered as he led her hips into a steady rhythm. The room was dead silent, not an echo of sound except for Morgan's light breathing and the thin space of air between their bodies which was closing at an alarming rate.

"There's no music," Leah replied with a raised eyebrow looking up towards him. His brown eyes were down cast and his grin was still present on his lips. She wondered how he could be so happy.

"Sure there is. You've just been dancing to a different beat your whole life. That's why you can't hear it." His voice was thick and husky, his hands heavy and heated. She could feel his words vibrate in her chest as his thumbs rubbed back and forth on her hip bone.

"I think you have _absolutely _lost the plot." Leah chuckled, shaking her head and trying to hide the smile that was creeping on to her lips. "Are you sure you're not the _only_ one who can hear that music Black?" She questioned letting the grin seep through.

"I've always heard the music Leah; whether in absolute silence or under gun fire. If you train your ears correctly, you would hear it too. There is a certain beat that all living and even mechanical things have. It's the sound of pure energy moving from one solid object to another. It could be the low hum and pulse of electricity from a light bulb or the synchronization of timed gunfire. The mind does not completely understand why it sets things into a rhythm."

"Definitely crazy." Leah yawned resting her forehead against his chest. Now that Jacob was actually here she felt lethargic, like she was going to fall asleep on her feet.

"Think about it," he breathed, snaking his hands under her hair to her neck and curling his fingers in her hair. "You start tapping on a table, soon enough it will take a rhythm - a beat. You run - your mind automatically starts its own internal rhythm to keep your heart, your legs, your breathing all in time. When you fall in love, live with someone your whole life, your body automatically changes the beat of your heart."

"Bullshit," Leah grumbled, pressing her nose against his shirt and allowing his aura to take her.

"It's true. The moment you find your true love - the instant you know it - your breath will hitch. Your heart will hear the heartbeat of your true mates and it will follow in sync. This is why doctors find it hard to pick up twins heartbeats inside the womb. Even though they are two separate organisms the babies hearts will beat in time with one another. They love each other_indefinably_. It's their mother's heart that they follow from. When you're in love and you finally _realise _it, your heart will flutter and reassign its beats. Your heart will no longer be alone and it will play like a symphony with another's."

Watching her yawn again Jacob chuckled. "Sleep now. I'll wait until you wake to continue this discussion." Backing her up slowly, he let her knees buckle so she was sitting on the bed and blinking rapidly trying to fight off the impending sleep that had been building.

"But I am _not _tired" She drawled as her eyes shut for a few seconds. "Okay, maybe a little sleep," she conceded falling back on to the pillows and stretching out. "But when I wake up, I expect answers Black." She growled pointed a finger at him.

"Sure, sure." Jacob smiled as he picked up the sheet from the carpet and laid it over her.

"I'm serious," Leah grumbled clutching her pillow and tucking it under her face to rest her cheek against the cool of the cotton.

"Of course you are. Sleep now."

* * *

By the time Leah woke Jacob was already showered, dressed in fresh clothes and reading a newspaper with a pen in his mouth. Frowning, Leah turned to see if Morgan was still asleep and her heart almost dropped to find the bed beside her empty.

"Where the fuck is she?" Leah almost screamed, kicking off the blanket and getting to her feet.

Looking up from the paper calmly Jacob chuckled and pulled the pen from his mouth to tuck it against his ear. "Well good morning to you too sunshine."

"Don't fuck with me Black. Where is she? I swear to God - if even a strand of hair is missing from her head…"

"Calm down Leah. She's having pancakes at the mess hall. Ana came in and picked her up since she didn't see you two down there. She makes some killer pancakes. Plus Morgan was awake and hungry."

"Why didn't you wake me?" Leah huffed as she gathered her hair up into a bun and snatched the pen from his ear to lodge it in her hair. Half tripping over a bag, she tore open another black backpack and shifted through it looking for something to wear.

"You needed the sleep." He shrugged, folding the paper and placing it on the small table inside the apartment.

"_No_, what I need to be doing is watching out for her. You do realise that Sam will have no qualms in taking her and using her against me!" she shouted, throwing a shirt over her shoulder before turning to glare at him.

"Ana will make sure nothing will happen. This place is secure Leah, no one will get to her or you while we are here. Let's just say, Ana Call is not a stranger to a double barrel rifle named 'Georgie'." He stated calmly as he crossed his arms across his chest and watched her tear apart half the room with an amused smirk on his face.

"She is not your daughter Black. You had no _right _to allow her to go."

"She isn't yours _either,_" he replied, making her freeze in her tracks. Her back snapped straight as she whirled around to face him. She could feel the fire mount in her belly and she wanted nothing more than to punch his lights out.

"How fucking _dare _you, you son of a bitch!" she hissed, stomping towards him. "You think you _know _me or Morgan? You think you know what it's been like for me? She is _mine _and no one - especially not _you _- are going to tell me otherwise." She was so close to him now she could feel the electricity building between them threatening to set them both alight.

"You need to calm down before you blow a fuse," he said sincerely, his eyes sweeping over her form.

"Don't _fucking _tell me what to do!" she roared as she pushed against his chest as he stood. "You don't _own _me Black. I am not some fucking lapdog and you are not my owner!"

"You want me to own you?" He asked with a smirk and a raised eyebrow, infuriating her even more so.

"I'd rather burn in the fiery pits of hell than ever be owned by you." She growled, flipping him off and heading to the bathroom with a handful of clothing.

"You're such a romantic Leah." He laughed as she slammed the bathroom door behind her.

Leah dumped the clothes in the sink and ripped at the shower knobs, allowing a burst of hot water to spray against the tiles. It didn't take long for the hot spray to create a fog of steam in the small bathroom which clouded the mirrors and glass. Stripping quickly she stood under the water, allowing it to run over her face and sink down to the rest of her body. Her body was still quivering with rage and she was trying to calm herself by rolling her hands into fists before releasing them again. Jacob Black was infuriating and everything he did was getting to her. It was like he was crawling underneath her skin and spreading his poison. She wanted to hurt him, to slap him, pull at his short cropped hair, but every time she thought of doing such things she felt a wave of lust instead of anger. She wondered if all the adrenalin, all the kisses she was somehow comfortable with, were starting to get to her. How in her right mind could she let him in so easily, let him spread over her like a wave?

She was falling for the calm, smirking, smug prick, but she wasn't sure if she would survive this one. Hell, she wasn't sure if any of them would survive. Jacob really was the least of her worries. She had a little girl she was responsible for; a little girl that needed her to fight, to do anything but give up. Leah had to get her head back in the game, find her brother, prove Jacob's innocence and found out who exactly the puppet master was, who seemed to be tugging all of their strings and controlling the game. It was a fight to the death.

Towel drying quickly, Leah pulled on her black jeans and white tee. Brushing her teeth she spat the minty residue out and rinsed her mouth. Untangling what knots she could with her fingers, she hoisted her hair up high and reached for the pen again to lodge into tightly between the dark tresses to keep it up while it was wet. Rubbing her face with the towel once more she hung it crookedly on the rack and opened the door of the bathroom.

"Aunt Lee!" Morgan cried happily, barreling into Leah before she could pack away the used clothing.

"Hey baby," Leah cooed, cradling her head and kissing her hair which had been braided nicely with coloured ties attached to the ends. "Nice hair," Leah said softly, looking up to see Ana Call standing with Jacob. Both were talking too softly for her to hear but the discussion looked important. Ana was nodding insistently as Jacob seemed to be laying out some kind of orders to her.

"Ana did them for me, aren't they cool?" Morgan smiled as she pulled from the embrace and did a little spin to show off the design. "Ana said she would take me to the zoo today if it was alright with you. Please Aunt Leah - _please _can I go? Toby is going too."

"Who's Toby?" Leah questioned suspiciously looking down at Morgan, concerning littering her whole face.

"Toby's my son. Well - my other son," Ana said interrupting the two. "Jacob here grew up with Embry my eldest son. Toby was always following those two like they were Gods. Isn't that right Jacob?"  
Leah bit back the urge to pull at face at Jacob over the obvious kiss ass routine he must have been pulling on Ms. Call since he was a kid.

"You know it!" Jacob laughed, clapping his hands together and winking at Leah. "But seriously Lee, she'll be in good hands. Toby's a cop and his daughter is about Morgan's age. Surely you can't deny the girl one little trip to the zoo." Jacob was now pulling out the puppy dog eyes. He's big brown orbs widening as his bottom lip jutted out.

Rolling her eyes Leah lay her hands on Morgan's shoulders and squeezed softly. Bending down she whispered into the little girl's ear, "Go have fun then sweetie." Leah knew she could never deny Morgan anything and she knew she had come this far in trusting Jacob she would take it a little further. At least now she and Jacob could finally discuss the next steps they were going to take and what lay ahead.

* * *

"I think we should leave Morgan with Ana," Jacob pronounced as he stretched out on the lounge, his large arms reaching above his head allowing his shirt to rise up from his torso. Jacob Black had an amazing body, Leah could definitely not refute it after catching a quick glimpse of the russet skin, strong abdominal muscles flexing and stretching under the skin.

Blowing out a breath Leah struggled to remain calm. If Jacob Black thought that she was just going to leave her niece here while they both ran off into the sunset or some shit…

"We're going to have to travel. We can't risk taking her with us - not with the people who will be assigned to find me."

"Where exactly are we going? I can keep Morgan hidden, I can…" Leah deflated as she looked at Jacob whose eyes were almost set in stone. His eyes showed a sheer truthfulness and she hated that she could see so deeply inside those eyes that she could almost see the internal ticks of his mind.

Rising into a sitting position Jacob sighed and walked over to her, grasping her wrist slowly and pulling her into his chest. On instinct Leah wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled him closer while his arms remain wrapped loosely around her shoulders. "You _have _to leave her here Leah. She'll be safe, that much I promise you. You'll see her again. Ana will take care of her, take her underground if she has to."

Pulling away and looking up at him she tilted her head slightly. "Why would someone willingly do something like that for someone she doesn't know? Why would Ana literally give her life to keep Morgan safe?"

Jacob looked down with a smirk, cupping her chin in his palm "You're very distrustful," he whispered clamping his lips down against hers, applying just enough pressure to entice her further. Keeping his face close to hers he moved his arm to run his hand up her back, coming to a stop on her neck. Thumbing the sensitive skin there, Leah felt hers eyes flutter from his touch.

"_People _are untrustworthy," she replied closing her eyes for a second and resting her chin and nose against his shirt. "You really have to stop kissing me," Leah mumbled against his shirt.

"Why? You're not enjoying it as much as I am?" He asked with a chuckle moving his hands down to the small of her back allowing his fingers to drum against the top of her behind.

"Shut up!" She grumbled, poking him in the ribs. "Of course I like it, its just - You keep clouding my mind. You're confusing me. I don't know where this is going, what we are doing…"

"Do you always have to know? Why do you always need an answer to everything?" Jacob asked seriously kissing the top of her head. "Why not just see where this goes? Let it work its own course out."

"I really hate that about you." Leah sighed leaning back and drumming her index finger on his cheek.

"And what's that?" Jacob asked pretending to look hurt.

"You're all like - Buddhist monk - or some shit. I have never met anyone as calm as you. I find it hard to read you sometimes and then other times you're like glass. It's actually quite annoying."

"My aim is to please." He grinned, kissing her lightly on the cheek and grabbing her hand. "Come on, we need to get food. Let's find a diner and then you can ask me as many questions as you like."

"I hate waiting." Leah huffed, reaching out for some money on the counter while being dragged out the door by Jacob. "Just tell me where we are going so I can quench my insatiable curiosity."

Walking down the path Leah wondered for a second if Jacob had heard her. "You know, curiosity is what killed the cat."

"Well, lucky I'm not a cat then," she sniped as he opened the door of the SUV and let her climb in before walking around to the driver's side. "Typical male," she grumbled watching as he turned the ignition and backed out of the drive. "How come you automatically assumed that _you _were driving?" She asked pressing her buckle into the lock and glaring at him.

"Well for a start - I am a better driver."

"On what grounds? You haven't even seen me drive!" She huffed resting back into the leather of the chair. "I'll have you know I am an excellent driver. I bet I could kick your ass, not only in this car but in the air as well."

Jacob laughed as he pulled out of the motel parking lot and headed for the highway. "I'd like to see you try."

"You're on Black. Once this shit is over - me and you - fighter jet - Nevada desert - Devils Plains. Then we will see if you're still laughing."

Laying her head back Leah closed her eyes and crossed her arms against her chest.

"Burger joint or steak house?" Jacob asked, flicking the indicator with his hand before turning out on to Saville Road.

"Anything. As long as they have coffee and apple pie," Leah replied shortly.

"A woman of good taste I see."

Letting the silence engulf them, Leah rubbed out the tension in her left shoulder, rotating it a bit before using her fingers to wean out the knotted muscle.

"The Ukraine," Jacob said out of the blue as he began to brake for a red light up ahead.

"Come again?" Leah asked not sure what he was going on about.

"That's where we are going, the Ukraine," He replied, keeping his eyes fixed on the traffic light.

"Okay?" Leah drawled out raising her eyebrow in the process. "Why the fuck are we going there?"

"We have to meet a man in Prypiat. A charter flight will take us there. Maybe we won't have to wait so long for that race."

"Back up. Once again - why are we going to the Ukraine?"

"You remember 'Chernobyl'?" He asked turning to her and giving quick glances between the road and her.

"Now you have totally lost me. You mean Chernobyl, as in the worst nuclear power plant disaster in history? The one that had hundreds of thousands of people relocated because of the radioactive fallout?"

"26th of April, 1986. Yes, that very one."

"Why does _that _have anything to do with my brother?"

"The sins of the father get passed down to the son," he replied, watching as her expression crept into more confusion. Huffing out a breath Jacob sighed. "Ana Call worked in Prypiat with your father. Before you were born your father headed up a team of scientists who were working in conjunction with the USSR to create not only nuclear but bio-chemical weapons. Your father liaised closely with both heads of country's trying to devise a way to share in the information that was collected from the vast testing of bimolecular research that was taking place. Somewhere along the line America wanted to pull the plug, stating that information as powerful as that should and could _not _be shared with a foreign nation. Especially since at the time the Soviet Union was not on the listed United Nations countries which America held as an ally.

The scientists had somehow found a new weapon that could be transferred into human flesh, making a person stronger, faster, and more intelligent and ultimately the world's best fighting machine. Human test subjects were being used Leah, soldiers were being tested on. Women and children.

Long story short - The Soviets got pissed that their American buddies weren't going to share the new found information. Hence the world's greatest cover up occurred. A Soviet crack team was sent in at 0200 hours. They arranged to have some testing scheduled, managed to mess with the reactors, which triggered an extreme spike in power output that led to a reactor vessel rupture and a series of explosions. It took them 39 minutes to cover up years and years of research and to create the world's largest nuclear disaster ever. They figured if they couldn't have the information - neither could America."

Leah sat in silence listening to Jacob speak. She was past dumbfounded and could hardly make her mouth move. "That is un-fucking-believable. I just - I mean -" She was lost for words as her mouth opened and closed like a fish struggling for air.

"Well you better believe it. Your father and Ana managed to escape with only their lives and a series of files and test vessels."

"My father would _never _be involved in such madness. He could never have been…"

Putting the car into park, Jacob turned to Leah and ran a hand through his hair. "Did you know that your mother almost died while giving birth to your brother? That in an extreme panic your father managed to inject her with one of the test vials? Your father willingly took a chance to save your mother's life. Seth was a breech birth, he was stuck and your mother was losing vast amounts of blood. He _had _to give her the shot."

"You're a fucking liar Jacob Black! You're lying to me, he would never…"

He cut her off and continued. "Only your mother didn't feel the side effects of the serum. She was still able to survive the birth but Seth wasn't as lucky. Seth _has _the serum in his blood. Whoever sent out the distress call for my team to assist in the cargo transportation that night knew this. He knew that the blood running through Seth's veins would be able to tell him the exact chemical makeup of the serum." Sighing Jacob took a deep breath. "My team was never the target. It was Seth. And I let him walk right into their trap."

* * *

AN - Thank God 'hgmsnoopy' is my Beta. Total brain screwup! She is on the ball when my geography lessons go in one ear and out the other! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I'm excited for action in the coming chapter and perhaps... a lemon? Also want to say a big thank you to everyone who constantly reviews! You make me want to squeeze you all into tight hugs and give you all stardust! and cookies!


	9. Daddy's Song and F16's

**I do not own Twilight**

* * *

Mirabeau Motel

_Bayreach, CA_

…

Day III

0923 hours

…

After moving the bags Leah packed for Morgan, Jacob slid into the recliner and huffed out a breath. After spending most of yesterday afternoon explaining to Leah the various stories and deciphering myths from truths that had been passed down to their crack team about several of the 'supposed' international disasters, they were both left feeling emotionally drained when they'd arrived back at the motel. It had taken a lot out of both of them, with Jacob having to go into detail about the Korean hotel incident in 2012.

A diplomat from the country had supposedly just checked in before a gas leak erupted in a neighbouring apartment block leveling both towers to a heap of twisted metal and concrete. Truth was that the Korean diplomat was in talks with Syrian official and were only hours away from making a deal which would cut America's hold on Korean based nuclear testing as any and all testing bases would be moved from the country and into Syria, which the US had no control over. It had been up to Jacob and his team to masterfully plant the device and get out as quickly as possible. Post mortem investigators were paid off to ignore the tiny entry and exit wounds in the Korean diplomats head made from a single bullet wound.

His mind as well as body was tired and he wanted nothing more than to get on the plane and enjoy the 10 hour flight that would take them to one of the most dangerous countries he'd come across. With the government corruption, the price of your word was only recognised by the weight of your wallet, they would have to be _very_ careful.

He'd agreed along with Leah that one of them would stay awake at all times during the night just in case Sam or Mark Stone discovered their location. They would surely be arrested and Jacob would go back into the cell he'd waited so long in. Jacob sat awake every night staring at the ceiling waiting for her to come. He remembered sitting around a camp fire once, downing whiskey from a soldier's flask as Seth told them about his sister, the flying 'Ace.' He'd first thought that Seth was talking shit and that he must have been over playing her until Seth whipped out a couple of crinkled up photos from his uniform breast pocket.

The first photo was of Seth who looked to be around fifteen, his smile big and infectious as it was to the very day, dressed in his best Sunday attire standing next to a tall lanky girl who had long dark hair and deep brown eyes. Her smile was only half that of Seth's but Jacob couldn't help smiling along with her. She had an arm draped around Seth's shoulders loosely and it looked as if she was about to roll her eyes at him. It was nice; the beach looked amazing though the sun had been setting on the horizon blurring the photo a little.

The second photo was of Leah dressed in full air force issued military clothing with her arms crossed against her chest and her helmet hooked to sit in the crook of her elbow. Her face was much more serious yet he could still see the hint of a smile. The others around her were goofing off and it looked as if she was trying her hardest not to let her face crack. Overall she looked proud, as one of her shoulders angled a little more toward the direction of the camera to show her badging. 101st Battalion, First class, 'Hell Cat' Fighter Pilot.

From that photo alone he knew Leah would be a force to be reckoned with and he hoped now more than ever that he was right. He was about to lead her into the dragon's mouth. A dragon that was hungry and waiting.

Ana had been more than willing to care for Morgan while they travelled out of the country to the Ukraine. Leah had apologised for dragging her into such a situation while at the same time thanking her profusely. Jacob knew Leah wasn't exactly comfortable with the idea until he promised her that they would be a week tops. Ana's son Tony had agreed to stay at the motel with his mother to keep a watchful eye over both Morgan and her. Even when Ana scolded her son for being too concerned he reminded her that an extra set of eyes would do well and Olivia his wife would be fine with the kids once he told her the situation. With the weight of the Bayreach police force behind him, Tony would spare no costs in making sure that the people of his brother's best friend were kept safe. After all the shit they'd been through together, Jacob Black was family.

Running a hand through his hair, Jacob's eye meandered from Leah and Ana who were animatedly discussing the care Morgan would receive as well as contacts that could be used in the Ukraine from Ana's past, and landing on the small girls form which was seated at the opposite end of the couch.

She was grinning with her eyes downcast at the little silver IPod which was held firmly in her hands. Her thumb was intently pushing circles against the face, as she searched for the song she was looking for. Her hair was still tied in ribbons and Jacob smiled, remembering the way she'd told them both about the trip to the zoo, once Tony and Ana dropped her back off at the room. She'd been so excited to tell Leah about the farm animals that occupied 80% of the zoo. Even though the zoo could not offer exotic animals like a Bengal tiger or east African gazelles like the other American zoos could offer, she still enjoyed holding a baby lamb and duck for the first time. She'd bounced excitedly around the room as she explained how she'd bottle fed the lamb she'd aptly named 'lamb chop' much to Leah's disgust and Jacob delight at the name.

"Hey" Jacob murmured as he slid closer to pull one of the tiny white ear buds from beneath Morgan's hair.

The little girl responded by grinning infectiously up at him and taking the other ear bud out. It was startling how much of Seth she had in her. "Hi Jacob. Did you need me to move the bags to the other room now?"

"No sweetie, I have already done it for you" He grinned back, taking the liberty to ruffle her hair as she laid her head against his shoulder.

"You like music?" She yawned, snuggling into him a little feeling a type of warmness she hadn't felt in a long time, radiating off him.

"Sure. What you got?" He asked, before her tiny hand placed one of the head phones in his palm. Placing it in his ear, the tunes rang out immediately and he recognised the low hum of the bass-

_Your head is humming and it won't go, in case you don't know,_  
_The piper's calling you to join him,_  
_Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow, and did you know_  
_Your stairway lies on the whispering wind._

_And as we wind on down the road_

_Our shadows taller than our soul._

Jacob let the tunes slowly surround his mind as he listened to the magnificent guitar accompany the music. It was dragging him down, deep into a thoughtless state, where voices became whispers and beside the beat of the music the only thing he could hear was the light breaths of the child next to him.

_There walks a lady we all know_  
_Who shines white light and wants to show_  
_How everything still turns to gold._  
_And if you listen very hard_  
_The tune will come to you at last._  
_When all are one and one is all_  
_To be a rock and not to roll._

_And she's buying the stairway to heaven._

"It's my daddy's favourite song" Morgan whispered as she pulled away from Jacob knowing that he had fallen asleep. "My daddy's coming back to me, I know it. And when he does he'll know I haven't forgotten him. He'll know I have been thinking of him this whole time." Laying a hand on his shoulder Morgan lent up and kissed his cheek. "See ya' Jake, keep _my_ Leah safe."

She giggled as he let out what seemed like a happy breath and got up from the couch to stand beside her aunt who was still sitting and talking to Ana. She weaved her way into Leah's embrace enjoying the feel of her aunt petting her hair softly.

"Ana I really do appreciate this. We both do" Leah sighed pulling a standing Morgan into her side a little more. "Don't we Morgan?"

"Yeah." The girl smiled as she looked back at Jake and giggled again as he began to lightly snore. "Jacob is asleep. He looks really tired." She murmured, as both women's heads followed her gaze.

"Well," Ana stood with a small smile. "Tony and the kids were going to come over today and we were going to cook some home-made pizza for lunch. You think you'll like that Morgan?"

"Yeah," Morgan smiled appreciatively. Leah wasn't the best cook and she knew Morgan would appreciate a woman who could show love through food. Sue was very much the same and Leah and Morgan would often sneak away leaving Sam at home when the extra creamy lasagna would be whipped up from scratch.

"Alright then. How about we head back to my end of the building and let Leah and Jacob get ready to go."

"Okay." She nodded hugging Leah tightly which was returned with just as much vigour. "I love you Aunt Lee."

"I love you too baby," she cooed rubbing warm strokes up and down her niece's back. "You be good for Ms. Call, okay? You listen and behave otherwise there won't be any presents coming back with me alright?"

Nodding against Leah's chest, Morgan felt her aunt's cheek press against her hair, her warm breath making her feel sad knowing that she wouldn't see her for a while.

After hugging Morgan one more time Leah walked them both to the door and stood at it watching as they both walked down the path to Ana's lodgings. It was hard for Leah to let go of Morgan, to let her niece be in the care of a woman she hardly knew, but overall she knew, even though she didn't like it, it was the _right_ thing to do.

Closing the door she looked back to see Jacob had switched positions and was now sprawled out length ways along the couch, his large booted foot hanging off the end while the other was stretched out and touching the floor. One of his arms was draped over his face shielding his eyes from the light that was streaming through the curtains, while the other was above his head on the arm rest. His shirt once again had ridden up and Leah could see the light spray of hair that trailed underneath his belly button and dipped past the waistband of his dark jeans.

She blushed as she let her mind wonder to the rest of his hard, built body and the way he was sculpted like the Greek god Zeus himself. Jacob Black was a fine specimen of a man and any would be envious of his physique. He was beyond normal, much like both Sam and Mark Stone had been. Maybe that was why she was in such a situation. She'd almost blindly followed these men and allowed them to become integral parts of her life.

Mark had been her past. Sam had only just recently ceased being her present. So what did that make Jacob? Was he just another blip on the radar as the others had been? Or would he – _could_ he be the future?

Walking over to the couch, she sat near his head, perched on the edge of the coffee table and looked down at him, wondering if she should wake him or let him rest for a few more minutes. His face was somber and he looked like he hadn't slept in days. He was also starting to sport some stubble and she wondered what it would be like to run her fingertips over the small blades.

She knew they had to be at the private tarmac in less than an hour so she thought it better if they left so they could grab something to eat as well. She was thankful for the light breakfast Ana had brought to them but she was craving something sweet. Like cheesecake. Or biscuit bread. She knew it was ridiculous given the time and circumstances but even just stopping by a gas station and running in to get a few chocolate bars would do.

She wondered what kind of contacts Jacob had called to book them a private jet. It was beyond her how he was going to fund such an operation, but it wasn't her place to ask questions, she was just thankful they didn't have to take public transport. There would have been too many questions asked at customs and by now all of the secret operatives would have been on their tail.

"Jacob," She whispered, nudging his shoulder lightly with a little push. The only she response she received was a murmur and a shooing motion as if she were a fly. Snorting she tried again. "Jacob!"

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

"Jacob Black!" She hollered, busting out laughing a second later as she watched him fly off the couch and take an attacking stance. His footing was slightly off and he had to step back a little before he realised she was on the floor trapped in between the coffee table and the couch laughing her ass off and holding her sides.

Rubbing his face he couldn't quite see the funny side of waking him up. He had been dreaming, for probably the first time in a long time, and instead of being trapped behind steel bars he was sitting in a paddock atop a large hay bale. The sun was setting as he watched the small wild flowers bending under the weight of the light afternoon breeze. For the first time in a long time, instead of being confined to the tiny box of a cell, he dreamed of freedom.

"You think it's funny? Waking me? I was in the middle of something." He grumbled, before smirking and realising his payback. Bending down he clasped a large hand around her ankle and pulled her free from the tight spot, her shirt and jacket riding up over her stomach. "You're going to pay"

"Stop!" She shouted between her laughter, trying to keep her shirt down as he dragged her across the carpet and toward the bed. "Oh my God - Jake-" She cried out as he picked her up by her waist and managed to hoist her over his shoulder before throwing her in to the middle of the messy bed.

Leah was still red in the face from laughing, though the bellows began to slowly die down once she bounced a few times on the bed, her hair falling gracefully around her. Her large grin suddenly turned into a small smile as she watched him stand at the end of the bed, his knees pressing the edge of the mattress as his hands started to pull the sheeting away from under her.

"What are you-"

Jacob shook his head and placed his index finger over his lips, telling her to be silent.

Shifting her hips up, Leah allowed him to pull the sheets free of the bed dropping them to the floor beside them. Smiling he placed his hands on the bed and crawled up her body, slow enough for her to watch the muscles in his shoulders move under the tightness of his shirt.

Once he was over her, his knees straddled on either side of her hips with his face hovering over hers. She allowed her hands to rest against his chest, almost seeming like she was keeping him from crushing her.

Her fingers tapped against his chest, fanning them and pulling them back in, feeling the material scrunch between her fingers. His eyes were watching her closely while her own watched the motions of her own fingers.

"Have you ever been to Washington?" He asked, playfully bumping his nose against her cheek watching as a small blush made its way across her skin. In many ways she was soft, so soft that he was scared he'd break her and in most cases afraid to touch her. Though she was strong, brash and not particularly empathic with her emotions he knew she was exactly like one of the wild flowers from his dream. Should the wind blow, she would bend meeting it as strong as she could. But to create a storm, she would inevitably break and wither away.

"No. Never really had a reason to travel to that part of the country." Leah's lids were heavy when she replied, her eyes half fluttering from the warm breath that was heating her cheek. Her body was anticipating him, wanting him to press against her, flush. Even with his weight she wanted him to lie there and never move. She wanted to hide underneath him and stay there, close her eyes and drift away under his warmth.

"Would you like a reason to?" He asked, pulling back to allow her to watch his tongue drag across his bottom lip. An emotion glided across her eyes, it was cloudy but it was there. She wanted him to touch her; she wanted him to fall down against her, taste her.

"Depends on the reason," She smirked back, trying to seem less mesmerised by his tongue that was slowly killing her from the inside out as it played along his lips.

"How about we make a deal?"

"I am pretty sure we already have deal. I get my brother, you get your freedom." She said nonchalantly reaching up to stroke his neck. It was strong and staunch like the rest of him and she shuddered when she felt him swallow, the muscles moving against the pads in her fingers.

"I want another deal." He smiled as he turned his head slowly and laid a kiss against her lips. His lips were closed but pressed tightly against the plumpness he could only describe as in a world of their own.

Leah couldn't help but ball her hands into fists against his shirt and pull him down as she arched up. With a forearm resting near her head, Jacob's other hand came down on her waist attempting to keep her from rising up to meet him. It was torture for her, because she needed him to feel. Feel something more than just fear, despair and sorrow.

Pulling away Leah glared up at Jacob and tugged on his shirt to obviously no effect. He wasn't budging. "You play dirty," She growled trying to lift her back off the bed to get to back his lips only to be pushed down again, his fingers digging into her collar bone.

"I can, if that's how you like it. But seriously, I want another deal." Slowly the pressure on her collarbone lifted to be replaced by a slow stroking motion. It was sending euphoric embers through her body and she couldn't help but squeeze her thighs together to quell the lustful feelings her body was experiencing.

With a huff, once she realised Jacob wasn't going to let her off the hook, she rolled her eyes and looked up at him. "Fine. Let me hear it and I will_consider_ your request."

"It's not a request Leah. Think of it more as a deal breaker" He whispered, placing tiny kisses against her throat, his own voice coming out as more of a murmur with his face tucked up underneath her chin.

"What?" Leah breathed, arching back and threading her hands into his short hair. His hair was soft and silky as it ran through her fingers.

"You heard me. Now, I'll give you your brother, I'll give you anything you want, but you have to do something for me." He continued running his fingers along her neck trailing them with nibs and kisses while her hands tried to claw him closer and intensify the feeling. "Something important and I can't have you going back on it. I need you to be solid. This is the deal breaker. Back out on this one and I will cut all my ties with you and you'll be on your own." He said softly, biting down on her collarbone a little making her dizzy. It took a few seconds for her the regain her composure, allowing the words to sink in.

"What!" She said more forcefully, reaching to grip his shoulders and push him to the side so she could wriggle free. "So let me get this straight - I have to do whatever you say otherwise you'll disappear?" She asked now standing and putting her hands on her hips. She was pissed that he'd broken the mood just when he was making his way under her blouse and starting to tickle her ribs.

"Hear me out." He sighed lying on his back to run and hand through his hair before he moved to sit on the edge of the bed. "The man we are going to meet, he doesn't _necessarily_ value a woman's worth - if you know what I mean. He's going to want some kind of 'collateral' for the information we need. Now I am _not_ saying we are going in blind, but anyone within a five thousand foot radius can see that you're gorgeous." Shaking his head he forced his eyes shut and then open as if thinking of possible situations already. "Anyway, he's going to want - well - _you_, or at least to sample you."

Leah could feel her teeth grinding in her mouth and it felt like her back was going to snap from being so tense. Slowly her shoulders slumped and her fists un-balled. She knew she'd do anything if it meant being one step closer to finding her brother. "I'll do anything I guess." She relied flatly shrugging her shoulders.

"Are you insane?" Jacob hissed as he rose from the bed and grabbed her shoulders tightly.

"Well I thought you meant-"

"No Leah, you're not understanding. I want you to say no. I _won't_ give you to him. I can't." His eyes were black with fury and his fingers were digging into her shoulders, pinching the skin there.

"But what about-"

"I'll get it another way, I just need to meet with him, get inside the walls of his house and into his office. He keeps all of the transport files on a laptop in his home."

Jacob had once seen a layout of the home when they had re-conned the area after a multiple string of murders including a Nigerian national who had been contracted by the US government to assist in the signing of pharmaceutical contracts with the country. The US had agreed to ship special medication to the country only if certain criteria were met. Part of the criteria included full access the government's files on guerilla tactics which lay in the east part of the country as well as information on the harbouring and distribution of blood diamonds in the neighbouring countries.

"But I thought Seth was in the Ukraine?" Leah asked confused as to why they would need information from a shipping and transport mastermind.

"He is, I just don't know _where_. There are a few sites we could check but that would waste time. Once _they_ knew you were coming to the meet with me they would have set the wheels in motion. I don't know how to explain it Leah, but they have eyes everywhere. Moles hidden within the walls of even the safest complexes. Their finances run deep, deeper than any government and more influential than any president on earth, including our own."

Leah nodded slowly at Jacob's declaration. She knew how things worked in the _real_ real world. The one that was hidden behind the quiet comforts of life and hidden from the glossy pages of suburban life. The real world let you believe that you were in control of your life, that you were that master of your own destiny, when in fact, people were not. "Who exactly are we meeting?"

"Jasper Hale." Jacob replied bluntly his face turning into a sneer as soon as he'd told her the name. They'd had several dealings before and Jasper would be soaking in the glory knowing that Jacob was coming to him for information. He could already picture his smug smile as he'd drive through the high metal gates of the guarded home he occupied, surrounded by both private security and official military personnel. Hale was definitely a man with friends in both high and low places.

"And what does _he_ have to do with anything?" Leah snapped not enjoying being bombarded with more and more information by the second.

"You've heard of Cullen Enterprises?" Jacob asked as he stepped around her and picked up the last of the bags, hoisting them over his shoulder. Pulling the gun from the back of his jeans he checked the magazine and snapped it back into place, clicking the safety on.

He'd been lucky that Ana still remained armed. He'd remembered as a boy the large stock hold she had in the locked garage out the back belonging to her second husband. Ana was never a violent person but she had made sure to protect herself by any means necessary. Herself _and_her boys.

"Of course. The pharmaceutical company who recently provided the funds to transport their AIDS medication into affected areas, mainly third world countries," Leah replied, remembering the headlines in the newspapers for the last month or so. It talked about how the head of the company had donated tens of millions of dollars, not much of it in cash but in the form of the tiny white and blue pills that could save a life and in its absence, end it.

"Come on we have to start moving." Jacob had already grabbed her hand and was moving towards the door. Leah complied and closed it shut behind them as they head toward the car. "And yeah, you're right." He nodded, giving her a quick glance. "But it's a sham. A big fat lie. They're not transporting anything more than the new experimental drugs the UN denied them from testing on human subjects. Ten years ago they were told they would be shut down if they _ever_ tested human subjects again after being caught in India, trialing a new drug. It's their way around a political loophole and Jasper is their mover and shaker. He can make cargo ships in the Atlantic or Indian Oceans suddenly disappear, without a trace or shipping manifest left behind."

"Wait stop - back it the fuck up." Leah snapped her seatbelt into place and turned to look over at Jacob who seemed to be becoming drearier by the minute. "Cullen Enterprises is responsible for the world-wide distribution of nearly every known medication in the world. Why the fuck would they be testing on human subjects without approval, and more importantly lying about it?"

"I don't fully understand it all yet, but you can bet your bottom dollar that it has something to do with your brother and the genetic mutation in his blood. Imagine if they could harvest it, grow it, multiply it and place it in a tiny little white pill. Imagine the price you could charge on it. A pill that could make you faster, stronger, and next to invincible. Imagine now, that they have been researching his blood this whole time, testing, mutating it even further. Imagine if they broke the genetic code that ends all things. Imagine if they could promise you eternal life with one pill - a pill that could allow you to live forever!"

* * *

…

Atlantic Ocean

International waters

_23 minutes north east of Scottish Mainland_

...

1447 hours

...

Leah looked down at her watch and adjusted the numbers. The time zones were always trained into her head whilst on active duty and _this_ felt no different. She was here to do a job - get in, get out. No questions. No injuries. No one captured. She shook her head knowing that only in the perfect world even the best laid out and executed plan had weak pulse points that a single smart spider could catch on to and unravel the tight web.

"How much longer?" She asked Jacob who had only just woken 40 minutes earlier and was walking around the cabin. He'd explained that all he needed to stay on top of his game was naps. Power naps he'd called them when she rolled her eyes and teased him about being a big tired baby. She was suffering herself but she had been on plenty of mind draining missions to know what to expect. She knew she could push through, she'd been trained to be able to cop the mother lode of a fighter jet at just over 1100 miles per hour without blacking out or reaching the grey area, so this would be like a walk in the park.

"I'd say four - four and a half hours until we land. Pilot says that we will have to fly over Germany instead of taking the southern route." He smiled, taking a seat in the cream upholstered chair next to her.

"You know - if we stole an F-16 we would have been there by now," Leah chuckled taking the drink and napkin from his outstretched hand, while he merely nodded and grinned at her. "You ever seen a sunset at 55,000 feet in the air?"

"An F-16 can't go that high, you know that!" He laughed shaking his head at her statement and hiking his boots on to the leather clad ottoman in front of them. "They aren't built aerodynamically enough to withstand that kind of pressure."

"Well," Leah replied, taking a quick sip of the cold water "that just shows how much you know." She couldn't help but smirk as he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Do tell, oh wise one" He mocked, placing his own bottle of water in the drink holster.

"You ever been under the skirt of one of those pretty ladies? Let me tell you Black, it's like a dream come true. Think of her as a virgin, factory built; no add on wiring or mechanical tinkering, pure and innocent - untouched if you will. Problem with F-16's is that she wears really nice - _heavy_- knickers. All you gotta do is pull those bad boys away, take the aluminum alloy back to 65 percent instead of 80 and reinforce her with bonded aluminum honeycomb structural elements instead. Best part is she purrs like a fucking race car." She could help but use her hands to explain the dynamics. It was such a simple idea, while not exactly regulation standard or military legal, she'd made sure that all the jets in her team had been fitted with the design.

"You sure you're not an engineer?" He chuckled placing his hand on her thigh and running his thumb smoothly over her jeans.

Leah shrugged glancing at his hand which was creeping dangerously close to the space between her legs. "Engineers don't know what it's like to be that high. They may be able to sketch it out on their drawing boards and build it in their factories, but they don't know how she flies. Her nose dips because she's top heavy and the right wing propeller needs to be just an inch longer than the left to be able to manoeuvre her between buildings. They don't know how she handles being shot out of the sky and how she glides when all the electronics are shot to shit. They sit in their tiny offices imagining what it's like to be in control of something so fast, so powerful. They underestimate the raw power of such a beautiful, magnificent creature."

"And how would one handle you, Leah Clearwater?" Jacob whispered, shifting closer to move the hair away from her neck to kiss the space there. "Should I underestimate you? You who clearly retains so much beauty, so much raw power. How could I ever stand _your_ pressure?"

Leah moaned as Jacob whispered against her neck, his fingers dancing so desperately close to the seam of her jeans. "The pressure isn't the problem Black," Leah groaned biting down on her bottom lip. "It's the moment when a woman is underestimated. The moment that it happens, is the moment you _lose_ the war."

* * *

AN - You know what's going to happen next right? Mile high club anyone?

Thanks once again to ultra beautiful and ultra fast 'hgmsnoopy' who Beta'd this chapter. You're a star and the WILF's would like to have you over for dinner! *wiggles eyebrows* Also a big big thank you and chest squishing hug to all of the crazy awesome gals and maybe even guys that continue to review and fav and alert! You make my day, and it is always good to know that I am not _just _some raving lunatic that pollutes fan fiction with snippets of an insane mind! It's 6:40am and I am about to scurry off to work hopefully my day is a little better than yesterday! :) I have been so flat out I literally stare at a computer screen for 18 hours a day... FML!

Love!


	10. Tiny Spaces and Steel Birds

**I do not own Twilight**

* * *

Scottish Air Space

_Western Mainland_

...

1516 hours

...

His lips seemed to fit perfectly with hers, the arch of both their mouths meeting in a passionate kiss. It wasn't like a Sam kiss.

It was more.

While Sam had kissed her, Jacob had really kissed her. It wasn't a soft, melting kiss that could last for days. No. This kiss was brutal, sucking everything she had from inside her, stealing not only her breath but her soul. Was it even possible to be this amazing? To be able to kiss so exuberantly, so fervently?

Her hands pulled him closer by his shirt, while his own hands desperately tried to pull at her jeans - anything really - trying to draw her closer into their already fused aura. She could feel his eagerness, his underlying want buried in the way his tongue searched hers out, the way it ran across the ridges of her mouth, over her teeth, before joining with her own again.

This wasn't what she had envisioned, though she was definitely not disappointed.

Pushing him back into the leather chair she inhaled what felt like her first breath. Like she was a newborn taking the first taste of the big wide world, like not being able to breathe was natural; as if breathing in from Jacob was all she ever knew. He was panting himself, looking over her with dark pooling eyes, eyes that were racking over her like nails, piercing deep down inside of her. Without any further adieu, Leah straddled his thighs and pressed her hands into the headrest, angling her mouth down to capture his once again.

His hands worked wonders, like fire sweeping over flesh. She couldn't stand the itch in her clothes, the itch that was clawing beneath her skin to be with him.

"Shirt off," she commanded, wrapping her hands into his hair and kissing along his jaw line, the musky scent of this man driving her crazy, her mouth committing to the mission of finding it's source.

"Yes ma'am." He chuckled pushing her back a little and bouncing a couple of times to get into a more comfortable position.

He was quick to remove the black material covering his upper body and in a split second their mouths danced again. Leah ran her hands tentatively along the skin of his shoulders feeling for the first time that wonderful bronze flesh in its barest form. He was soft until his hands came to her hips, the muscle flexing and sliding underneath it's covering for her to feel against her palms.

The bulge of his jeans was pressing hotly into her thigh, teasing and willing her to go further. She groaned into his mouth, arching her chest against his hand as it slid up her body to cup her breast. There was too much heat, she needed air, water, ice - she needed it all.

"Take it off," she whined, sitting back on his thighs to watch his other hand creep under her shirt. It was surreal watching the material of her shirt move, his hands hidden underneath the offensive material. Lifting her arms lazily, he wriggled upward, making sure to touch every part of her, to take his time.

Leah was impatient. As soon as the shirt came to her upper arms, she dredged the material up and with a flick of her wrist discarded it to the floor. Her lips once again came down against the perfect bow of his mouth while her hands tugged at the belt in his jeans.

"You're very eager." Jacob laughed as he pulled away and slapped her hands away from the waistband of his jeans. Her nimble fingers had worked fast against his belt and he felt it's weight on his sides. As soon as her hands reached to his button and fly again, he stopped her by catching her wrists.

"Jacob…" she scowled, a slight whine in her voice making her seem adorable. Her cheeks were flushed, the skin of her neck and chest the following the same demeanor.

Her eyes light up with a slight glassy coating when he took her hands and placed them behind his head to slow down their ministrations.

"What?" Leah asked, her chest rising and falling with each second. "You don't want to-"

Jacob shook his head, a slightly amused look on his face. "Trust me - I definitely want to. It's just a little open out here, don't you think?" He was sweet to think of her like that and she almost swooned. Of course she didn't want to captain and co-pilot to walk out and find her and Jacob enthralled mid passion.

"Where?" Looking around the small plane there weren't many options. Well not so much - many - but one. The place dawned on her like a light and she wanted to twist her nose in disgust at the location.

"It's small, but we'll fit," he answered as if reading her mind. Dropping his tone he spoke again "I'll make sure of it." The sound was husky, deep and turning her on. Could a voice even do that? She didn't think to care about the internal questions any longer.

"Let's go."

* * *

Leah could feel the metal of the taps digging into her back but she didn't care. With Jacob's mouth on her neck and his hands disposing of her jeans she could barely even speak without stuttering.

The space they were in, crammed them together which wasn't really the problem, it was the lack of freedom to move around that was pissing them off. With the back of her head lain against the mirror, her body hoisted up onto the small bench, his back was still pressed against the door, there was barely enough space to breathe.

It wasn't practical but it would have to do.

"Tell me," he whispered as his hand dipped to the apex between her legs, pressing the material to her slit. Jacob smirked as he felt it dampen immediately and watched as her eyes rolled back and her head banged against the mirror.

"Tell you - tell you - wh - what?" Leah stuttered as her arms shot out and palmed against the walls to steady herself. There was no room to even wriggle around to get closer to him, he was in control and she hated that she felt helpless against his onslaught.

Pushing her thighs wider apart, he planted himself between her toned legs and slotted like a jigsaw piece against her. "Tell me what you want from me," he growled as his mouth attacked her neck, sucking and biting on the tender flesh.

"Shit!" she cried, racking one of her hands through his hair to hold the back of his head closer - impossibly closer.

Her gulps of air became more desperate as his jeans slid from his hips and pooled at his knees. Grabbing her thighs he pulled her lower body closer while somehow magically keeping her sitting just on the edge of the sink.

"Tell me what you want from me," He whispered, as his own hand brushed her ear, moving to hold the back of her neck. He needed to look into her eyes; he needed her to know she could trust again. He needed her to know that he was there, that he was real, and that he wasn't going to disappoint. She'd had far too much disappointment in her life, too much to deal with. He wanted to whisk her away to somewhere quiet; somewhere were it could be just the two of them, living, breathing, wanting each other for the rest of their lives.

"Please," she whimpered, feeling his excitement so close yet so agonisingly far. "I want you – please." And she did, she wanted him more than anything. Was it just the sex? She wasn't sure. But she knew somewhere the voice inside her was screaming to be consumed. Whether it was love or lust she didn't know. She couldn't fathom the choice of love. To love him in such a short time scared her. It made her want to run and hide, run to the other side of the world and never look back into those pools of chocolate that were staring her down.

"Don't be afraid of me Leah - I'll treat you right." He said it like he meant it and it took everything in her power not to crumble at his feet.

"I'm not afraid." Her voice was raspy as she felt him pressing into her, willing her to break from her shell and reveal herself to him. "-of you. I'm afraid of it all crashing down."

The vulnerable look in her eyes made him soften. He had anticipated her response but he was willing to show her, grind her back down until she was bare, trembling and his. "Hold my shoulders." She did as she was asked and almost came when she felt him move her underwear to the side. "You're so hot, so wet. These need to come off."

Gasping she felt the material tear from the force he exuded, letting it slink to the side of her hip like discarded tissue.

"You don't know how much I want this - need this," he breathed as his palm rested beside her head against the mirror. "Trust me Leah. Trust my feelings for you. Trust yourself."

Feeling him slide inside of her, she wanted to cry, claw and sob against him. It was so hard to be filled so completely in the tiny space, so hard for her body to un-tense and let him in. Apart from the surroundings he felt absolutely perfect, he felt right.

More right than anyone had ever felt with her. He just belonged.

"God!" Jacob gasped, swearing under his breath as he slipped back out and held her hip in his other large palm to guide himself back in. "You're so tight - and it's been so long-" He moaned letting himself slip back out to grasp the base of his cock so he wouldn't cum too fast. She was squeezing him, the silk lining of her pussy crushing the air out of his lungs, his body - his cock. He needed more time.

"Don't stop," she pleaded, cupping his face to kiss him with force. She couldn't stand that they were apart.

Growling, Jacob pushed her back against the mirror and lifted her legs so they could wrap around his waist. "I won't. But you need to cum first."

Before Leah could ask what he was talking about, she felt the head of his cock slide through her folds and bump against her clit. Her legs tightened on their own accord, pulling him closer, willing him. Again and again he slid his shaft up and down, each time bumping into her clit making it feel as though she was on fire. He was literally fucking her slit and she couldn't help but squirm and whine in his arms. It was like electricity pulsing through them: pure, dangerous, unadulterated electricity.

"Are you close?"

"No - oh - oh fuck - yes - shit yes," Leah cried out as she felt the muscles in her stomach tighten and clench. Everything seemed blurry, the small lights in the bathroom seemed too hot and she was sure her legs were cramping from the position, but it was all secondary to the pleasure he was bestowing upon her.

"Good," Jacob breathed, stopping a moment to angle the head of his cock down. Within a split second he sunk back into her heat, the liquids that were pooling there making her seem hotter than lava.

Each time he thrust wholly into her and she couldn't help but squeak, the sound becoming embarrassing to her own ears.

"I'm so close…" She ebbed, holding him tightly, searching out his mouth with her own as her nails dug into his skin, just merely trying to hold on.

Pressing his forehead against hers as he pulled away from her mouth, he watched her entrancement as her eyes flicked towards him - watching, waiting, wanting. The look in her eyes alone was making each buck, each thrust, that much more powerful. The feeling, the buzz, the heat that was licking at his spine making him tense his thighs, his balls tightening - it was all coming on so fast he was afraid of not being able to see her.

One last thrust of his hips, and he came crashing down against her, pressing her heated back against the cool of the mirror.

Leah smiled to herself as his chin lay in the crook of her neck and his cheek was mirroring itself by being pressed tightly to it. The heat of his breath was climbing down her shoulder and arm, fogging the mirror behind her.

"Leah…" He called softly as she began running her fingers through his hair, letting them trail down his shoulder blades to the middle of his back.

"Jake…" She replied, a smile playing on her lips.

Pulling back a little he allowed himself one more kiss of her neck. "You're the only one who calls me Jake - you know that?"

"Really?" Leah asked, un-winding her legs from his waist.

"Yeah." Watching him lick his lips; Leah couldn't help but reach out and kiss him once more.

As their lips pressed hungrily together, a loud bang sounded against the small bathroom door, jerking them alert. Through the plastic of the door, they heard the captain of the jet loud and clear.

"We've got company."

* * *

"Show me," Leah asked, leaning down in between the two seats of the cockpit. The console in the private jet was different to those in the fighter jets she was used to but if needed she would probably be able to take the wheel from them. Fighter Jets were only built with enough to be able to do their job. This jet however had the extra luxuries that didn't come standard with those the military had under commission.

"See here," the captain pointed to a small bleep on the radar screen. "At first we brushed it off as a bird or something small like that, problem is - it's been following us for 20 minutes, maybe more. I had Jerry here, go and check some of the wiring behind the panel, do a diagnostic, check out if maybe it's a fault on our end."

"It's too big to be a bird," Jacob exclaimed as he leant over the top of Leah and peered at the screen. "But it's too small to be a fighter jet. It's not American."

Leah remained crouched, her elbows pressed against her thighs as she ran her hands over her face. She thought that Mark wouldn't be this fast, that he couldn't possibly already have a tail on them.

"Jacob's right. It's not a bird – but it _is_ American." Standing to her feet, she squeezed past Jacob and stalked back towards the cabin of the plane to retrieve her laptop.

Pulling it from the bag she set it down on the small pull out table from the arm of her chair and turned it on. It would be easier showing him rather than just telling him.

"What do you mean it's American?" Jacob asked as he followed her out and watched as she randomly clicked and typed on the small computer.

"The designs were originally European but America began to secretly build their own prototypes in late April 2004. The Department of Defense had the aircraft classified as 'top secret' and fortunately I was one of the pilots selected to be a test subject for the log system with the US Navy. I was in a group of three cadets used to aptly provide flying regimes for the planes. A small smart cam had been installed into my control panel while I was out flying when I'd become a 'Hellcat.' Of course some of the maneuvers were performed in the simulation room due to the fact there was no real need to use them."

Jacob looks quizzically at her, "What is it _exactly_ you are trying to tell me?"

"It's an unmanned combat air vehicle or UCAV as it is more commonly known." Leah explained, turning the laptop towards him to point to a picture of a sleek black plane.

Jacob nodded having dealt with something slightly similar. "We used unmanned aerial systems, UAS, a couple of times in the field, but only for scouting of low lying areas in high hostile zones. That doesn't look like a RQ-2 Pioneer. They were simply drones."

"You're right," Leah said clicking through to another picture. "But this isn't a simple drone. You see, most countries are bound to international laws of war and those laws place a barricade on countries to limit collateral damage through proper identification of targets and distinction between combatants and non-combatants, making a fully automatic aircraft invalid and a crime against those laws. The use of totally autonomous planes have been forbidden, most needing a human counterpart to authorize the release of the weapons carried on them. However, I know for a _fact_ that in 2012 the military switched them to run and simulate like a real pilot - _no_ human contact needed. They were given a task and once ordered, the task was carried out."

"RQ's can't carry weapons," Jacob chilled, scratching his head and taking a seat across from her.

"Again you're right – but like I said, this isn't an RQ. This is a state of the art X-47B which is much larger than the RQ's but sustainably smaller than a fighter jet. It was developed from its predecessor the X-47A Pegasus, and the French even have their own spin off. The 'Grand Duc.' These are stealth jets, used for only one thing."

Leah didn't have to explain the next part to him. The X-47B was a combat fighter, used to shoot down targets out of the sky or subsequently have a preordained target which needed to be disposed of. It was a well known fact that after the bombing of the Eiffel tower the French had sent in 'Grand Duc's' to retaliate over the Middle East. It had ended in much bloodshed and conflict, the United Nations coming down hard on the country calling them 'malicious and cowardly acts of injustice.'

"So we shake it. You said you were the best the Air Force ever had, what's the problem?" Jacob shrugged, smiling at her softly.

Leah groaned and shut the lip of the laptop. "You don't get it do you? We are in a commercial jet; it lacks the power I would need to out run one of those aircrafts."

"I thought you could do anything in one of these steel birds?" He mused playfully.

"Don't get _cute_ with me Black. The much bigger problem is who ever you got this jet from has leaked our location. Whoever you decided to trust has put us in this shit storm."

"Not possible. The leak must be somewhere else." Jacob shook his head as he spoke. The leak couldn't have been from his end. He'd used a close family friend to organize the flight. His sister's husband Jeremiah who ran his company from Hawaii had planes all over the continental US and used them for private hire to generally transport the rich and private diplomats to different locations. Jeremiah had severed with him only once in the field but he was a good decent man, one who did not take lightly to the politics the military was often involved in.

"Where ever the leak is, from now on we trust no one - only each other," Leah said tucking the laptop back into the bag.

Before she could ask Jacob who he'd gotten the plane from, the captain hollered out to them from the cock pit. "We've got another problem," His voice was off pitch, an edge of fear creeping into his normally calm demeanor.

Jogging to the front end of the plane both Leah and Jacob leaned inside and immediately their eyes drifted to the left of the window. The black jet was now hovering beside them; it's triangular form swaying softly mid air as if teasing them. It looked so graceful, hanging in the air like not a thing was wrong in the world, like it didn't have a mission to kill the four of them on the aircraft.

"There is a signal trying to connect with our radio frequency. Should we let it through?" The co-pilot asked as his finger hovered over the button. He was pretty young to be a co-pilot, he had not been military trained, and he looked fearful. She wanted to tell him it would be alright, that they would all be alright and that they'd get out of this situation but now, looking a the jet hovering next to them she wasn't so sure.

Leah frowned, deciding what the best course of action was. "Where are we currently?"

"We are coming to the eastern block of the North Sea. We currently have an ETA of 10 minutes until we reach the Netherlands." The co-pilot buzzed back, looking at Leah like she was supposed to save them. She wanted to slap him for giving her such a look of despair, tell him to man up, and grow a fucking back bone. At the rate the kid was going, he was scared enough for all of them.

"I need you both to move," She exclaimed, needing them to leave the cockpit and the controls.

"Are you a qualified pilot?" The captain asked disbelievingly. He couldn't believe a passenger wanted to take his place. This was his plane, the plane he'd flown for the last three years.

"Do you want me to save your ass or would you like us to get shot out of the sky because of your petulance? Because that's what is going to happen if you don't get your ass out of that seat!" She growled.

Nodding slowly with wide eyes both pilots slipped out of their harnesses and held them open for Leah and Jacob to climb in.

"Strap yourselves in." She motioned to the two leaving the area. She wasn't sure if she was going to pull this off and they needed to be strapped in just in case the worst happened.

Hearing the soft click of the cockpit door closing, she placed the headset over her hair and adjusted the earphone and mouth piece accordingly. She nodded at Jacob to press the radio button to allow the stealth jet to hone in on their frequency.

"You sure about this?" Jacob asked as his finger stilled over the button. His eyes were searching her face, wondering if this was the right thing to do. Leah knew that she was probably going to make matters worse but she needed to know who was on the other end of the line. She needed answers and she needed them now.

Placing her hand over his she answered a simple "No," and pressed his finger down onto the button.

* * *

…

North Sea

International waters

8 minutes east off the Netherlands

...

1532 hours

...

"This is flight Echo, Bravo, 7, 3, 9er," Leah spoke clearly into the headset glancing at Jacob who was checking the control panel of the plane to make sure all of the systems were in top working order. She feared if they weren't that the plan she schemed in her mind wouldn't work.

"What's in Kiev?" The deep voice of Mark Stone asked, making Leah grimace.

"Your mother, you asshole!" Leah growled out unable to hold her tongue.

Mark chuckled; amused by the brashness that was Leah Clearwater. Not even if he lived with her for a million years would he ever get used to her snap. "Now, Lee baby. It was only a question. Can you tell me why your flight destination is leading you to the capital of the Ukraine?"

"No not really, just felt like taking a trip."

"Leah-" Mark warned.

"Listen you dickhead, if you don't pull your crony back I am going to make sure your two million dollar jet never flies again" Jerking the plane down, Leah peeked under the wings of the X-47B. As she anticipated it was carrying only two missiles and while non nuclear still extremely deadly.

Her teeth ground together when she heard the loud boisterous laugh that left his lips. The smugness in his laugh made her want to squeeze the life out of him using his neck or maybe even wrap the cord of her head set around it. Had he always been this annoying or did his looks merely cover it up and blind her from his true personality?

Feeling Jacob reach down and squeeze her hand she felt her insides nearly melt. If Jacob wasn't the perfect man she didn't believe one existed. He was so calm and instead of becoming annoyed with her, brushed off the snideness that leaked from her mouth and ran full steam ahead at her.

It scared her to know that Jacob seemed to know what he wanted out of life, who he wanted. She still had insecurities, wondering if he would snap out of the haze he was under and walk away like the rest of the men in her life. But feeling him squeeze her hand was somewhat of an indication. Maybe they wouldn't last; maybe things would change in the future. The only thing she knew was that, in the now, they had each other.

"I think you are confused Clearwater. The jet hovering next to you cannot be shot down, especially considering you have no weapons aboard. What are you going to do – out run it?"

"No, shit for brains," she hissed, powering up the engines of the Lear-jet and opening her landing docks. "I am going to tear it in half."

* * *

AN - Phew... This chapter was grinding me down, wearing away at my eyeballs. This chapter took me a while - not only because of the f**king error messages that kept popping up but because of the lemon. I need to connect with my lemon-istic feelings again... this one just felt - different? o_0?

Anyway - Big huge thanks to 'hgmsnoopy' who continues to put up with my messy, and most times crazy grammar and story lines. Even under the constant onslaught of real life things - like working and families, she manages to get my chapters polished so fast. She is a miracle worker, and you should all bow to her awesome-ness XD

I know I have been away for a little bit but I promise, that (eventually) I will finish each story I have started. And don't forget... I love you all!


	11. Wires and AntiPsychotics

**I do not own Twilight**

* * *

North Sea

_International waters_

3 minutes east off the Netherlands

...

1537 hours

…

Jacob's eyes widened in terror a little as he watched Leah power up the Learjet. Without thinking his hand shot out to rest on hers; stopping her from moving the controls to maximum throttle.

"Wait-" He whispered, making sure to switch off the headset transmission which was feeding their voices towards Mark Stone.

Closing his eyes he let his brain slip back to remember the general diagnostics of a Learjet 35 and the enhanced specification he'd seen on this one. The possibility of tearing the UCAV in half using only the landing wheels was slim to none. The number of medallions in Leah's home wouldn't count for much. To be able to tear the outer shell of an aircraft without damaging their own landing gear was not at all possible. If she planned to actually attempt to land the plane, they would be in a whole shit storm of trouble.

Seeing the worry spread across Jacob's face she grinned and pat his hand. "It's going to be o-kay" She said with conviction, trying to soothe the high tension that was radiating from him.

"If the landing gear if shot, we're going to have to make an emergency landing. I'm not so sure we're going to survive a drop like that with the damage we will take on"

"Lucky for you, I'm a genius" She smirked, twisting to find the radar and high frequency switches.

"Not following?" He replied, cocking his head to the side a little as he watched her work.

"Black-" She chuckled "I've read your file. You may be able to navigate every single mode of transport at the hands of the US government's portfolio. But this right here, in this cockpit, this is _all_ me baby. While you know basics, I know everything - _had to_ know everything. I use to live and breathe up in these skies. This sky is my playground, and this plane just so happens to be my home."

"Really?" Jacob mused cocking an eyebrow "Well tell me oh mighty one, how exactly are we going to tear that UCAV in half without damaging our landing gear?"

"Ye of little faith. Nothing is going to be damaged; it's going to be my buddies on the ground. The Netherlands happened to change their countries fly over laws in 2014 to include a no fly over zone for anything other than commercial passages carrying planes.. I am not even going to have to touch Mark Stone's piece of shit aircraft. The Royal Netherlands Army is going to do all the work. They don't take kindly to unidentified aircraft's hovering over their country. Three months ago they just so happened to shoot down a Russian fighter jet just south of here. I bet their thumbs are itching to do the same to this one. I'll I'm going to do is give them a heads ups"

"But it's an American aircraft; an alliance is in place"

"_Maybe_. However UCAV's are aptly named 'unidentified' for a reason. Countries can't tell them apart due to the lack of marking on their hull. For all they know, it's an enemy craft sent to survey the new nuclear installations the country have been working on. You can thank CNN for that little bit of knowledge" She grinned, utterly smug with herself and her argument.

Wiping a hand through his hair Jacob shook his head with a small smile on his lips. "For a woman who has been out of the game for so long, I am afraid of what you would have been like if you were currently serving. Not that I expect anything different. Your brother had the quality of thinking outside the box as well. That guy could use a snipe scope at almost double the recommended range with a small mirror and some gum."

"There are many things you have yet to find out about me Black. And yes, I will take credit for Seth's shooting range. The kid couldn't even hold a rifle until he was 11. We use to go hunting together when our father was away on his business trips. Seth always wanted to learn new things so when our father came home, he could show off. Dad taught me, and I taught Seth. One day if I ever have children, it will be Seth's turn to show them how to skin a rabbit and shoot a deer from close to a mile away"

Moving from her seat, she smirked and pulled a pocket knife from her boot pocket, slamming the blunt end side, down under the console to pop the metal hood covering it.

"Is it wrong that I am totally turned on right now? Even if she probably did kill Bambi's mother" Jacob asked himself quietly as he watched her crouch down and bend until she could see the barrage of wiring underneath.

"Probably not" Leah answered with a shrug, knowing that Jacob wasn't necessarily talking to her. Slipping her hand in slowly, she felt around for the clump of wire which were held together on a central board. Holding the console with one hand, she angled her arm in deeper, twisting to also slip her shoulder inside.

"What's she doing?" The pilot shrieked, as his eyes caught sight of the position she had taken under the controls. In a hurried rush the pilot undid his safety belt to run towards the cockpit from the cabin, only to be stopped just before he broke through the berth by the huge man.

"Sit down" Jacob instructed, pointing back toward the chairs before he re-crossed his arms against his chest.

"She _can't_ be playing with those controls. This is not right!" The pilot huffed as he sat back in the chair. No matter what he tried he would never be able to get past the juggernaut in front of him.

"Jacob - get the number for the safe" Leah called out, as her arm jerked on the wiring to pull the bundle of colours toward her. Getting them from under the console was always a pain in the ass and it was no different this time. She wished she'd had more time, but the longer they hovered, the more suspicious Mark would become. The asshole never had a pleasant temperament.

Crouching down in the cabin Jacob ran his hands over the small carpeted edge, digging his fingers deeper when he felt the indent of the space in the floor. Even though every commercial passenger airline had introduced Air Marshall's they were still unable to carry aboard weapons. Of course the solution had been simple.

"What's the combination?" Jake asked, tugging at the corner of the carpet and pulling it up to fold then carpet and tuck it underneath his knee.

The pilot nervously fumbled his hands and glanced sideways at his co-pilot. "I have no idea what you are talking about!"

"Oh I think you do" Jacob grumbled, having now pulled the carpet fully back to reveal the small black safe and an illuminated keypad. He hated when people held back information from him. Giving the pilot a dangerous glare and a small growl he was rewarded with an almost yelp of fear.

"I have no idea, I swear. They don't give us the codes"

Sighing Jacob cracked his neck, still scowling at the Pilot and the very quiet co-pilot who had not uttered a single word. "_Please_ - don't make me ask again"

Having re-threaded two of the wires Leah scooted back into the flight chair and re-adjusted her headset. Glancing up at the direction controls she smiled noting the distance. They'd hit Netherlands airspace in less than half a click.

Flicking the mute button on the headset she smiled hearing the low rumbling of Mark Stone on the other end. The man always had a complex problem and hated to be ignored.

"-swear to you Clearwater. You land the plane and hand over the prisoner and you'll be excused. You have no idea who you are playing against. I have a multitude of people over the globe ready to take both of you down. You come in quietly and I let you walk away from this."

"Shut up Mark. You are so full of shit. You think they are just going to let me walk away from something this big? The only way I am going to get out of this, is if I leave in a body bag, and that sure as shit isn't happening. So no, no deal."

"You are running with a criminal. You know that right? I know you have read his file, but it's what you didn't read that you should be worried about."

Mark was playing a game. A game that in this business was deadly. To separate pawns on a chessboard had the same affect; after the damage had been done there would be an eventual check mate. A stale mate of all chess pieces immobilising her stationary. Then and only then, her queen would be taken from underneath her.

"And what is that?" Leah growled, glancing back at Jacob who was currently holding the pilot by his collar and threatening to throw him out of the plane if he didn't hand over the code.

"Have you asked about the murder charges he was arrested on? Has he even told you the story? About how he crept into the house of his former lover and gut both her and the new man she'd taken to bed?

Maybe you should Leah. Maybe I should send you the photos of the bodies that were left mutilated in the quiet suburban home? The Jacob Black you _think_ you know is nothing but a criminal. A man who couldn't deal with the fact his fiancée left him for another man while he was serving his country overseas. Such a pity really... It's not as uncommon as you may think"

Leah cleared her throat as she looked back at Jacob again, gauging his distance from her.

"You should have seen the way he left the body Leah. He strangled her tiny body, shattered her beautiful cheek bones, and destroyed what beauty she could take with her in death. The other man was beaten until the bones in his face liquefied. Have you ever seen a face that has been so disambiguated that all you see is swelling?"

Leah could feel her heart racing. She'd remembered the descriptions on the news once the story had leaked to the National papers. They said it had been a crime of passion. A man coming home to find his life in tatters, to find himself replaced. Her stomach felt queasy just thinking about the smell such damages would leak over the time that passed before the authorities found the two lovers bodies. If anything, the visual was much worse than the stench. It was the only time a human could look anything but.

"You're starting to get the picture right? He's not the man you think he is. He will gain your trust Leah, and when you are of no more use to him in his game, he will push you aside. Like you're nothing. Would you like to know his fiancée's name? Why don't you ask him what Renesmee's favourite flower was? Ask him what colour her eyes were? How her skin looked before it was torn apart and stained purple from his fists. Ask him Leah"

Mark's voice was low as if they were sharing some kind of a secret between them. She hated his voice, how calm he sounded - how calm he constantly was. She pulled the throttle of the steering equipment to test the slight changes she'd made to the way the plane moved in flight while she contemplated his words.

"You can see it can't you? I knew you would, you've always been such a smart girl"

Leah cleared her throat in an attempt to find her voice. Mark was merely trying to tear their loyalties apart; she could see it as plain as day. Still however, her stomach churned with the knowledge of not being able to know what happened that night. She knew she could always ask him what happen, how it was that the police arrested him. "Jacob's not like that, he's... You're wrong"

"Oh god!" Mark groaned. "You've already fallen for him haven't you?"

"Fuck off Stone"

"You have. I can hear it in your voice you know. Tsk, tsk. The mighty Leah Clearwater falling so quickly for love. Tell me Leah, does he make you quiver and moan like that night in the barracks? Does he make your feet arch and your back tense like I can?"

She jumped when Jacob sat down next to her, mouthing why she had the headset on again, gun in hand. Looking at him wearily she smiled. "Look asshole. Games over." She spoke confidently into the headset before switching channels to hail the nearest watch tower. Even if Jacob was guilty in this situation he was the less of two evils – at least against her anyway.

"This is flight Echo, Bravo, 7, 3, 9er traveling east on route to Kiev. Be advised of an unidentified aircraft flying in Netherlands air space. Aircraft has no flight authority and is in close proximity to a Passenger F Class liner. Assistance from ground control is sought"

After repeating the message several times, finally a thick European accent spoke back. "Dis unt Flight Controller Lars De Vries, flight muster 37781. Assistance is currently on route. Be advised to pull out of the current position until such time the airs argh cleared"

"Thank the Lord for the Dutch"

Leah smiled, as she glanced at Jacob who was already watching her. Slipping the weapon into the side of his boot he scrubbed at his short hair with the heel of his hand.

It only took a total of 21 seconds for the black slim line fighter jet to come in to sight. Its sleek lines made Leah shiver with excitement. The aircraft was truly a beautiful sight. Flicking the channel back to the station Mark had been using she tisked back at him.

"You have about 17 seconds before that fighter jet blows your hunk of junk out of the sky Mark" Hearing the sound of Mark shouting commands at the persons nearest him, who were also probably remote controlling the UCAV, she laughed.

"10 seconds"

"Goddamn it Leah. Call them off. I know you have something to do with this!" He shouted his voice husky and torn as it vibrated through her headset.

"You know I can't do that. You put yourself in this position. 5 seconds"

"When I get my hands on you, I swear to all that is holy, you are never going to-"

Without wasting another second, Leah dropped the nose of the plane and shot downwards, her adjustments working perfectly and on cue. The pull of the seat belt was fighting hard to keep her in her seat, while Jacob used his arm, which he had hooked over his own seat, to hold on.

He hadn't been expecting the plummet and he felt his stomach drop to the bottom of his lap as he held on to the seat for dear life.

Leah could hear the shouting and screaming coming from the cabin of the plane, both pilots obviously not use to being on a 165 degree angle in the sky, whether it up or down. The odometers in front of her whizzed, while the height measurements dropped lower and lower, swirling amongst their quick descent.

"Pull it up Leah! _Fuck_!" Jacob yelled his head spinning as he watched her continue to plummet the plane from midair. The pressure in the plane felt as though his head was going to burst and his eardrums vibrated with the suddenly onslaught.

"We are too close. We need to wait" She shouted back, her hair in dismay as strands began to slip from her tie.

"The hell we are! Pull it the fuck up!"

"You scared Jacob?"

Without answering Jacob divided toward the console and gripped his hand around hers to pull the controls up, hoping the plane would follow.

"We are too close you idiot! Stop!" Leah shouted, trying to jimmy her hand from his and get control back.

Just as Jacob opened his mouth, the plane jerked forward and a large booming sound shot off around them. Being far away enough, they were lucky to have missed the fire and immediate explosion. But all along that wasn't what Leah was worried about.

It was the shrapnel of a steel bird that would rain over them. She'd once been too close, back in her training days, to a plane which had taken heavy fire and exploded midair. The metal that rained down over her own bird had ripped half the nose off the plane and even managed to slice through her wing, damaging the fuel and landing lines. Using the emergency exit, she shot from the jet and vowed after that, never to get too close again.

Elbowing Jacob in the face to get him to move back, she heard the unmistakable sound of his nose break under the weight of her bone. He stumbled back toward his own chair not expecting the blow and collapsed in the seat beside her. His hands firmly cupped his nose as he stared at her with dark eyes. His breath was rough and harsh as he scowled at her, trying to understand what the fuck he had done to earn such an injury.

"Don't you _ever_ touch my console Black. Next time it will be your fucking neck" Leah spat as she shoved off her double locked buckle which had ultimately held her back from killing him. Rage boiled in her blood as she stalked from the cockpit toward the cabin.

"You broke my nose!" He cried out, using his thumb and index finger to sledge it back into place with the sickening sound of bone and cartilage.

"If I had a penny for every time someone-"

She didn't get to finish her sentence as she walked through the berth toward the cabin. Jacob's grip held down on her upper arm to stop her. Spinning her back toward him so their faces were only a centimeters apart he was met with a scowl on one of the prettiest faces he'd ever seen. His breaths were shaky as he searched her face for the indescribable reason of why she would do such a thing.

"Apologise" He growled, wiping the drizzle of blood on his lip with the back of his hand.

"Fuck. You" She replied slowly. Dangerously.

"Leah-" He sighed, rubbing a hand over his cheek.

"Don't talk. Just get them to land. I want to get the fuck off this plane." She growled, shaking herself from his grip. Before he managed to say anything else, she snatched up her bag and locked herself in the bathroom ending any conversation he wished to pursue.

Pulling at the ends of his hair Jacob groaned loudly and punched at the side of the fiberglass walls. His knuckles hurt but he shook it off and glanced over at the pilot to jerked his head. "You heard the lady"

"Netherlands sir?" The co-pilot asked, amazed that he hadn't shit himself from the sudden change in cabin pressure and midair drop.

Contemplating for only a second, Jacob shook his head coming up with a new way to travel. "We shouldn't have any more visitors. Land in Berlin. From there we will be close enough to travel without the need to fly." Taking a look at his watch, he let his eyes adjust as his nose continued to burn from the break.

"Get us there as soon as possible and consider your paycheck doubled."

…

Germany

_Kashtan Train Station_

Berlin Zoo

...

2037 hours

…

"So you are just going to ignore me the whole time?" Jacob asked as he set their bags on the ground of the sleeper. In less than 24 hours they would arrive in the capital of the Ukraine as he wasn't really enjoying the silent treatment he was receiving from the scowling woman in front of him.

"Fine" He huffed, sitting down on one of the lounges.

Kicking his feet up and dislodging his boots simultaneously, he stretched out his long body and placed his hands behind his head. If she was going to ignore him and not speak to him like an adult he would quite happily enjoy the silence. Even though it irritated him that she couldn't give him an explanation of what he had done wrong or not done at all, he brushed it off without another thought.

Leah sat down on the opposite couch, and continued to ignore Jacob, even if he was looking deliciously edible spread out over the couch. She was still hysterically pissed, epically pissed. Even the bruising around Jacob's nose and eyes didn't make her feel any better, if anything it just returned her anger tenfold. She had been good for so long, handled her outbursts and trained herself to breathe through her anger. But the moment the solider though it appropriate to touch _her_ console, to the plane _she_ was guiding, Leah couldn't help but flip her lid.

After all, the Hellcats were named that for a reason and they didn't just let any ole pilot in their prestigious group.

Sighing she rubbed her face, grasping one of the backpacks and shoved herself in the small bathroom. Even though the 'sleepers' were a hell of a lot better than sitting like cattle in economy, the space was still limited. Dropping the bag on to the sink, she pulled out a change of clothes and stripped out of the ones she'd been wearing. It felt as if she'd been in those same clothes for the last two weeks rather than a whole day. Lifting the shirt from the sink she sniffed the cotton, grimacing she threw it back into the sink and began running the water. The shirt still smelled of Jacob, of his aftershave, of his essence, just - _him_.

After rinsing out the clothes she hung them atop the towel rack and used one of the face washers to scrub herself down. Making sure to wipe every partial of skin, she slipped on new underwear, a pair of black jeans and black tank top. The cabin was warm enough to not need her wind jacket but she left it out anyway, probably needing a reason later to use it. Stringing her hair high up she tugged at a fistful of the wavy looks. Looking at herself in the mirror her frown deepened.

Was it possible to look happy when she was clearly pissed off and about to unleash her wrath upon Jacob while he was sleeping? Her eyes were shining and even her skin was glowing under the soft white light of the bathroom. Touching her cheeks she noticed the slight, almost permanent blush, on each apple. _Shit_. She did look good - _better_ - than she ever looked with Sam. Was it the way Jacob spoke to her? The way his hands roughly yet at the same time tenderly touched her? Was it merely his looks, the freakishly tall, incredibly able bodied, handsome man he was or was there something else?

Gripping the side of the sink, Leah dropped her head down and took a deep breath. "Fuck" She muttered, attempting to take another breath, but feeling the muscles in her throat begin to close up.

Coughing roughly, her eyes darted toward the door of the bathroom and noticed a thin sheen mist of smoke begin to creep under the opening.

Backing herself towards the toilet she kept her eyes glued to the slit and stepped up onto the toilet lid. Her hands braced against the narrow walls, as she buried her nose into her shoulder to stop the mist from drifting into her lungs. Some kind of sleeping gas had been rolled into the room and judging from the sound of things Jacob hadn't heard anything nor woken. Someone was potentially in the room with him at this very moment, armed and most likely dangerous.

_Fucking men_, she whispered to no one in particular before grasping onto the hooked edges of the bathroom walls and kicking the door back out.

The mist in the room was thick and her eyes struggled to focus through the thick clouds of smoky air. Stumbling toward the window she jerked it open and watched as the air swooshed out in a quick tunnel suction, taking with it a red scarf that had been jimmied in the lock. The freezing outside air whipped around sleeper creating a roaring sound similar to that of an A-380 commercial airline. It was loud, loud enough to make it seem as though she were deaf.

She froze noticing Jacob gone and a thin tall figure at the door of the sleeper, the man's back propped up against the door blocking her exit. Automatically her eyes scanned the cabin for some kind of weapon she could use to keep the man at bay.

His thick bronze hair glimmered as the last of the mist disappeared from the area revealing a wicked smirk on his thin lips. Leah watched as his eyes darted to the window and back at her, silently requesting her to slide the pane back down. Diligently doing so, Leah shuffled around the room, making sure to keep her distance.

"One Hell of a kick you've got there sweetheart." He mused, scratching the top of his ear, only looking partially at her. He was hands down the strangest man she'd ever laid eyes on.

"I'm not your sweetheart." She grimaced as his eyes swept her from crown to feet. "What do you want? Did Mark send you?"

"Mark?" He asked, before shaking his head as a negative accompanying a small chuckle with it. "No my dear. I'm looking for your friend. The big native guy that goes by the name of Jacob."

"I have no idea who you are talking about" Leah replied, attempting to act nonchalant. "I'm traveling alone"

Edward shook his head again and let out a sigh. "You see-" He began as he stepped around the room. "- I know you're lying. Not only did I see you board together, but I know you are both going to see a very important someone. In fact, for my own selfish and utterly brilliant plans, I need your big boyfriend to take me to him."

"I have-"

Before she could finish her sentence, Edward reached behind his jacket and pulled from it a gun. He continued to pace the room as Leah remained quiet. With him tapping the gun against his temple and whispering to himself, Leah knew she was in probably a little deeper than she expected.

"Liar, Liar, Liar" He continued to whisper to himself before turning both his head and the gun toward her. "I don't like liars" He hissed, his fingers trembling around the trigger.

Instinct had Leah raise her hands automatically; knowing the threat in front of her was now more than anticipated. "Alright, just put the gun down and we can talk about this - _sensibly_. There is no need for anyone to get hurt"

"Do not condescend me!" He shouted, tearing a hand through his wild hair. "Tell me where he is. Now!"

Taking a deep breath, her eyes remained locked with his. "I don't know where he is." She told him truthfully, hoping to buy a little more time to figure out how she could slither out of the spot she found herself in.

The bronze haired man seemed to believe her for a second as he lowered his gun's aim. Letting out a shaky breath she felt her chest almost explode from relief. However before she could fully comprehend the moment, he raised the gun again and took aim.

Cocking his head to the side, the lean man pulled the trigger and watched as the bullet seared through her shoulder, piercing the window behind her also. Cracks formed over the blood stained glass before the sheer force of the night's wind blew it outwards and onto the tracks underneath them.

Leah gasped as she stumbled back toward the couch, her hand gripping tightly to her shoulder. She couldn't believe he had just shot her without an inch of remorse crossing his uncanny pale complexion. The cold of the outside night lapped at her body, the wind once again creating a deafening roar around them. Her hair flew back and forth, whipping against her face and shoulder's as the pain creatied a throb that she swore she could hear in her ears. Blood soaked her fingers making it almost impossible to keep holding the shoulder without slipping.

His green eyes shone with intensity as he lent down to her level and stared at her. "This is your fault!" He yelled through the wild wind of the night that swirled around them. "If you would have just listened! Look what you made me do!" He screamed, upset at her for causing this trouble for him.

"I'm sorry" Leah mouthed through gritted teeth as her fingers dug deep to keep the pressure on the wound.

He seemed to register the lie which had slipped through her lips as he straightened up with tears in his eyes. Pacing the small area in a circle he pulled at his hair and nodded, freezing to turn to her. "You're not sorry. But you will be. I promise you that"

Raising the gun, he watched her eyes widen in fear as she realised her fate. His father had worked too hard, had built his empire to large for him to have these two rogue soldiers take it all away. They were nobody's, while his family were prestigious and honorable - something which these two could never understand.

Shooting her had been bad and the moment he had, he wished his father was there to help him clean up the mess. Carlisle would have never let him do this on his own and now he realised why. There were supposed to be no mistakes, no witnesses and no one left to tell the evening news anything.

He just wanted to scare her, make her tell him. Maybe his father had been right in telling him to continue on his course of anti-psychotics and to just let things play out, that he would sort out the mess once it came into his own backyard. Maybe he should have listened to his father and not followed them here, listened to him when he said that he had friends who would fix this.

Truth was, he was seeking Carlisle - his father's - approval just as much as the next person. Nodding quickly he raised the gun to her face, making sure the second shot would ensure her dead. He would dispose of the body by throwing her from the moving train. By the time anyone noticed the broken window and blood in the room at the next stop, he would have already slipped away.

"EDWARD!" A loud voice boomed from the doorway.

Stumbling around and taken by surprise, Edward only had time to gasp as a large wooden plank slammed across his face and blackened his world immediately.

Leah watched as the man's body crumbled to the ground and the gun slid forward to her feet. Without a thought she picked it up from the ground and held it in her bloody fingers, sweat beads pooling on her forehead due to the wound inflicted. Raising it up, her hands trembled as she focused in on Jacob.

"What are you doing? Let's go!" He shouted over the waves of wind pushing itself through the cabin and now down the hall.

"Where were _you_?" She yelled back, the winds drowning out most of the tremble in her voice. The gun felt so heavy between her hands and she struggled to keep it aimed at him.

Leah hated coincidences, this one was no different. Where had Jacob been? He was notably asleep when she'd gone into the bathroom, yet only moments later the room was being smoked out and the bronzed haired psychopath was standing at the door blocking her exit. Maybe this whole thing had been planned? Even so, then why would Jacob then knock out the man with a blank of wood? Questions continued to swirl around in her head and the slow throb in her shoulder began to intensify to a point where she was seeing black spots in her vision.

"Where did you go? You were in _here_, and then you were _gone_!"

Jacob already understood her implication. He couldn't believe she would think he had anything to do with Edward Cullen, heir to the multi-billion dollar pharmaceutics company, Cullen enterprises. If he'd wanted her dead she would have never left the cell she met him in. Had the last couple of days meant nothing to her? Had it not proved what kind of man he was, who he was deep down inside?

"You think I planned this?" He roared, unable to dwell his anger. His fists balled into tight pockets and his teeth clenched tightly in his mouth. "You think I had something to do with this?"

Leah opened her mouth several times trying to find an answer. She wanted to scream at him and tell him 'yes'. Too many boxes were unchecked and too many questions hung around them. In a perfect world all of this never would have existed. Her brother would be raising his daughter, she would be still flying, probably married and all of this around her would cease to be reality. In a perfect world had they met, they would have dated, taken their time, and discovered not only each other but themselves inadvertently.

But this wasn't the perfect world. She already had been double crossed by two people who she never would have thought possible. Her past had snuck up behind her in the form of Mark Stone and her present with Sam crumbled in around her. No matter what she'd done in her life, no amount of karma should have added up to the cards she'd been dealt.

Now with Jacob, who she'd only just met, she couldn't be sure whether to trust him or not. He'd been so meticulously trained by his predecessors he could have lied to her face without her knowing. His eyes never dilated, and his pulse never quicken under her observation. He was the perfect solider on paper.

"Look" Jacob started, holding his hands palm up to show her that he was no threat. He made sure to raise his voice just enough for her to hear over the whipping torrent of winds. "I know you are scared Leah. I know you think you can't trust anyone right now after everything that's happened, but you have to know – You can trust me."

Holding a hand out to her, he let it hang mid-air. "Trust me Leah. Take my hand. Let me help you"

Looking into Jacob's eyes may have not told her anything new, but without any reasonable doubt he was the only one she had. Trust or not, he was the only one left. With a small cry of defeat, Leah slipped the gun into the front of her jeans and reached out her arm for him to tug her up by the uninjured side.

"Alright. I got you, come on" He whispered, holding her arm over his neck and leaning her against him for leverage.

Shuffling her out of the room Jacob checked the corridor. "Shit" He muttered, pulling them back into the sleeper and sliding the door shut. Down the dim lit corridor he had seen several men walking hastily through the carriages, making their way toward the two. They were no doubt Edward's other half of the muscle his father had so kindly assigned to his son, muscle which money could easily buy.

"We can't go out that way. We have to find another."

Almost instantly his eyes rested on the gap the glass had left after being shattered. He knew they were more than likely going to die if they stayed in the sleeper with Cullen's men closing in, so they had no choice. They had to use the only exit available.

"We have to climb out there" He hollered, pointing to the window, nodding down at Leah to make her understand. With the blood still pooling at her shoulder he knew that he had to get the wound clean and stitched before infection set in. "We have to to the front of the carriage"

Before Leah could answer the sound of a shoulder charging at the door caught her attention. She could hear what sounded like Russian, ring out from behind the thin metal door. Holding tightly against Jacob's neck she nodded and let him guide them to the window.

The train traveled at exactly 127km's an hour and Jacob knew that if either of them slipped they would be nothing but minced bodies under the metal weight of the train. Carefully he climbed out first, making sure to stamp his steel capped boots into the small indentations running along the outside of the carriage. It wasn't a lot of space, but it was enough.

Reaching out his hand, he pulled Leah out just as carefully, holding her body as close as he could get her. Her hair whipped around them partially blinding them both for only seconds at a time. Tucking her neatly around the waist, he inched them slowly along the outside. The night was dark and Jacob was thankful that the moon was close to being full. It was large and casting just enough light for him to make his movements visible. Their surrounds were illuminated in an eerie blue colour as the train shot forward into the nights darkness.

Leah heard the booming sound of the sleeper door exploded under the weight of someone's shoulder, before the whole room was swarmed. Russian orders shot out around the room, no doubt with a mission to find them. When they'd left, the bronze haired man was still breathing but whether he'd sustained any deeper injuries was unclear.

She allowed Jacob to pull her closer into a gap separating two of the carriages. Slowly he jimmied open the door and pushed her inside the corridor, while he knelled down and began unhinging the carriage locks.

Within seconds the carriage they had been in, detached, as they continued to speed away.

Pushing her further inside and closing the door, Jacob watched as the carriage floated further and further away into the night, Edward and his friends all aboard. His hands held her waist as her cheek pressed up against his chest, her breathing coming in small pants. He wanted to stand like this forever, with her pressed up against him, with her hands around his waist as they were now.

"Come on" He whispered, brushing singular pieces of her hair out of her face. "We need to find somewhere, where I can clean you up."

"Okay" She breathed back hugging him for moment longer before pulling away. She was too tired to fight with him anymore, too tired to even think. So she allowed him to guide her down the hall, until they found an empty sleeper.

* * *

AN - *GASP* It's true... Extra long chapter to make up for the extra long wait. *grins* Thanks to the beautiful, the stunning, the talented and the fabulous 'hgmsnoopy' who continues to fix my mess and Beta my fic (If only I had a Beta for my life as well *sigh*). Hopefully I can get my shit together to finish more chapters... Love!


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